NOTEBOOK From Indianapolis Motor Speedway

No 'three-peat': For once, Billy Boat and Jimmy Kite didn't have to spend Bump Day holding their breath. Boat qualified for his seventh Indianapolis 500 on Sunday with a solid average speed of 225.598 mph, avoiding the possibility of an unprecedented three-peat as the slowest starter in the field. He'll take the green flag for the May 25 race from the 29th position, the middle of the 10th row. Kite, who was a half-mile per hour too slow in 2001 and left waiting next in line when rain ended qualifications early last year, put his car in the lineup at 224.195 mph. He'll start from the 32nd spot, on the 11th row, directly behind Boat.
Musical chairs: Richie Hearn wasn't worried about a lack of Indianapolis 500 practice time. He knew the car he was getting was ready to go. "To find a last-minute ride, and this is the ride, is like winning the lottery. It's probably going to be the best car I've had, period, in any racing situation," Hearn said after qualifying for Sam Schmidt Motorsports at 225.863 mph in a car leased from Team Penske. "It's like musical chairs. The music stops and I'm always the one who seems to be left standing," Hearn said.
-- Associated Press