INDIANAPOLIS – When Marco Andretti put the No. 98 US Concrete/Curb Honda on the pole Sunday for the 104th Indianapolis 500, it created a historical connection to one of the great cars in Indy 500 history.

The last time car No. 98 won the pole was in 1963, when Parnelli Jones put his Calhoun into the No. 1 starting position at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Jones drove the front-engine Roadster to victory that year for his only Indianapolis 500 triumph.

Jones watched qualifying from his home in Rolling Hills, Calif. He waved the green flag on a video from his home to start opening day practice last Wednesday on his 87th birthday.

“I watched qualifying from my couch and really enjoyed it,” Jones said. “Congratulations to Marco and his whole family, Mario (Andretti, Marco’s grandfather) has to be so proud of his grandson. The whole family has to be proud and has reason to be. It’s great to see Marco on the pole and carry on a family tradition at Indy.”

Jones, who was the first driver to top 150 mph in qualifications in 1962, is impressed with the all-Honda front row that also includes 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner and five-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon and 2017 Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato.

Andretti won the pole with a four-lap average of 231.068 mph around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That knocked Dixon off the pole after the Chip Ganassi Racing driver ran a four-lap average of 231.051 mph. Sato’s four-lap average was 230.725 mph.

“What a great group of drivers on the front row, so evenly matched,” Jones said. “Dixon and Takuma won’t make it easy going into turn one, but Marco has to pace the field and bring them down nice and clean. The pace is controlled by the pole sitter; he’s the one in control.

“You can’t win the race on lap one, but you can sure lose it if you don’t think smart. It was fun to wave the green flag earlier this week, and I’d gladly wave the checkered flag for Marco next week. I am really looking forward to the 500 – the competition the last few years has been so close, and I bet it is again.”