Franchitti on the pole at Milwaukee

Associated Press

WEST ALLIS, Wis.

Dario Franchitti put plenty of cars between himself and IndyCar points leader Will Power for the start of today’s race at the Milwaukee Mile — and he didn’t need a lottery to do it.

Franchitti won the pole position Saturday with an average speed of 170.841 mph, followed by Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon. Power qualified all the way back in 17th.

“Will obviously didn’t have a good qualifying there,” Franchitti said. “But trust me, he’ll be there tomorrow.”

Franchitti was fuming last weekend after the starting order for the second of twin 275-mile races at Texas Motor Speedway was determined not by speed, but according to a lottery. Power drew the No. 3 starting spot while Franchitti drew 28th, and Power won the race while Franchitti — who won the first 275-mile race — finished seventh in the second race.

Franchitti was unhappy that the luck of the draw could end up affecting the championship.

“The first race last weekend was based on speed, he was starting behind us, too,” Franchitti said.

Power has a 21-point lead over Franchitti in the series points standings going into today.

It was a rough day for Simona De Silvestro, who was taken to a hospital for further evaluation after she crashed during her qualifying run. A series spokesperson said she was awake and alert.

“Hopefully she’s OK,” Franchitti said. “You tend not to have small accidents around here, so I’m hoping she’s all right.”

She spun and slammed the outside wall hard, then went skidding into the inside wall.

Last month, De Silvestro burned her hands in a crash during Indianapolis 500 practice and has been driving with bandages.

Franchitti wasn’t exactly comfortable during his run.

“In the middle of three and four, the car snapped sideways on the first lap, which caught me by surprise,” Franchitti said.