[Racer Duck]

For 2008, the IndyCar Series will implement four-lap qualifying runs at every oval racetrack beginning with the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 29.

The pole winner will be the driver who records the fastest cumulative time over four laps. This is a significant departure from the previous format of the fastest single lap. The new oval qualifying format also includes a maximum of one attempt per car at the tracks outside of Indianapolis.

In 2006, the IndyCar Series introduced a unique qualifying format for road and street courses that included single-lap, single-car qualifying for all cars followed by a 10-minute Firestone Fast Six shootout by the fastest six cars to determine the pole position. Qualifying on road and street courses will retain its current format in 2008.

“Qualifying is one of the most nerve-wracking experiences for an IndyCar Series driver,” said Brian Barnhart, president of the competition and operations division of the Indy Racing League, the sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series and the Indy Pro Series. “At Indianapolis, that has meant 10 miles of error-free driving at 225-plus miles per hour. We’re going to take that kind of intensity and drama to every other oval on our schedule.

“This new qualifying format will enhance the overall IndyCar Series weekend experience for our fans and our oval track promoters with a direct link to the Indianapolis 500.”

The Indy Pro Series will also adopt a new qualifying process for all oval tracks, utilizing a cumulative two-lap qualifying attempt.

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