BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Make no mistake, Charlie Kimball is quick.

The third-year IZOD IndyCar Series driver advanced to his first Firestone Fast Six on April 7 and will start a career-best fifth in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. He also topped the time chart in the 30-minute warm-up leading into the 90-lap race.

"We spent (April 5) working mostly on race day. We have a bunch of tires in hand and we'll be pretty good when the race starts," said Kimball, who recorded a best lap of 1 minute, 9.0313 seconds in the warm-up on the 2.38-mile, 17-turn road course.

Click it: Starting lineup and tire designation || Warm-up results

Josef Newgarden, driving the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing entry, posted a best lap of 1:09.1685 and was second quick. Tony Kanaan (1:09.3080) was third and Scott Dixon (1:09.4123) was fourth. Dixon set the track record of 1:06.7750 in the first round of qualifications April 6.

Simona de Silvestro was fifth. So why is she starting 14th in the 90-lap race in the No. 78 Nuclear Clean Air Entergy Areva car?

Tire choice seemed to be the determining factor.

"On the reds we had a really big balance change," she said. "It was a really big difference. I think on the blacks we were really quick; even on the older ones. Hopefully we can make up some positions. It's really frustrating to be starting more in the back, but I think we can make it happen."