Much anticipation heralded the start of this year’s IndyCar season, it being the first since 1995 under a united series. Qualifying got underway for Saturday’s 300 mile race on Friday night and it was quite surprising. It came as no surprise that 2003 IndyCar champion Scott Dixon qualified on the pole with an average speed of 213.341 mph. What did come as a surprise was a different qualifying format that was introduced Friday night and will be utilized the entire 2008 season. Instead of the traditional two-laps of time trials, from which a driver’s fastest lap is the lap of record, a four-lap average speed will be taken, reminiscent of Indianapolis 500 time trials. The most stunning occurrence was Ed Carpenter’s (Tony George’s stepson) and AJ Foyt IV’s (AJ Foyt’s grandson) qualification in the 2nd and 3rd positions, respectively. Perennial race contender and 2005 Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon lost it and smacked the wall at the end of his first qualifying lap, which came directly after the cleanup of rookie Jay Howard’s wrecked car. It is unknown whether Howard will start, but it is certain that Graham Rahal (Bobby Rahal’s son) will not compete Saturday night after crashing in practice earlier this week. He was not hurt, but the team did not have enough time to prepare a back-up car, since they are one of the 9 teams joining the IRL IndyCar Series from the bankrupt Champ Car World Series. Dan Wheldon will start in the back in a spare car from his Target Chip Ganassi racing stable. The race is tonight at 7pm on ESPN2.