The reigning IndyCar champion Will Power has earned his fifth pole of the season in qualifying for the Toronto Grand Prix while the New Zealander Scott Dixon placed 4th.
Australia's Power topped the final stage of qualifying with a lap of 59.4280 seconds on the 11-turn, 2.8 kilometre Exhibition Place street circuit with five seconds left in the 10-minute final segment of qualifications.
Will Power, Toronto, 2015. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Penske driver overtook Rick Mears for fifth on the all-time IndyCar list with his 41st career pole.
Teammate Helio Castroneves of Brazil is the active leader with 43.
"Starting on the pole is great to keep out of any messes and, obviously, IndyCar races are never straightforward so it's just awesome to get the pole," said Power, who won in Toronto in 2007 and 2010.
French Penske pilot Simon Pagenaud grabbed the second qualifying spot, 0.1815 of a second back.
Season points leader Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia and New Zealander Scott Dixon - winner last weekend in Texas - will be on the second row.
France's Sebastien Bourdais, who won race one of a Toronto double-header last year from pole, was fifth fastest, with Luca Filippi rounding out the third row in sixth.
Canadian driver James Hinchcliffe, who suffered serious injuries a month ago in a practice crash before the Indianapolis 500, was on hand to watch qualifying at the Toronto track he calls home.
Hinchcliffe's accident was one of five major crashes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month. He needed surgery for injuries caused when a piece of his car's suspension was pushed into his left thigh.
