INDIANAPOLIS — James Hinchcliffe watched the Indianapolis 500 last year from his hospital bed. He had nearly died from injuries six days earlier in a crash at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Now he’ll start the 100th running of “The Greatest Spectacle In Racing” from the pole.

The Canadian continued his remarkable comeback Sunday by edging American Josef Newgarden for the top starting spot next Sunday. Hinchcliffe earned the pole with a four-lap average of 230.760 mph.

A day after qualifying last year, Hinchcliffe spun and hit the wall during a practice session. The impact caused a piece of his car to break and sail through his thigh. Hinchcliffe would have bled to death if not for the fast work of IndyCar’s medical team, which staunched the bleeding and raced him to a nearby hospital for life-saving surgery.

“I don’t think anyone can describe nearly losing your life at a track, then going back there to go 240 mph into a corner,” said Ryan Hunter-Reay, one of the many drivers to congratulate Hinchcliffe after his pole-winning run Sunday.

Newgarden will start second after qualifying at 230.700, and the difference between Hinchcliffe and Newgarden was the fourth-closest between first and second in Indy’s 100-year history.

Hinchcliffe won it in dramatic fashion, too, on the final run of the nine-car pole shootout. It also came on the fifth anniversary of team owner Sam Schmidt’s team winning the pole in 2011.

For a bit, it seemed as if Newgarden would win the pole. He was the only driver to turn a lap over 231 mph and Hunter-Reay barely knocked him off before Hinchcliffe began his run.

“It was a tough pill to swallow,” Newgarden said. “It was difficult waiting. I was trying to remind myself it’s not about (the pole). I wanted to win the pole so bad, it would have been amazing.”

Hinchcliffe’s victory marks the first time in six races that Team Penske drivers have not won the pole. It also ends a 31-race pole drought for Honda, which dated to the 2014 race in Houston.

“It’s crazy,” Hinchcliffe said. “It’s incredible what a difference a year makes.”