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 historic 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.

Newgarden will start second after qualifying at 230.700. 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.

Hunter-Reay, the 2014 winner, will start third on the outside of Row 1 after going 230.648. The runs by Hinchcliffe and Hunter-Reay, who drives for Andretti Autosport, put two Hondas on the front row in a season that so far has been dominated by Chevrolet teams. Newgarden will be sandwiched between the two Hondas in a Chevrolet fielded by Ed Carpenter Racing.

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 just missed knocking him off before Hinchcliffe began his run.

It will be Newgarden’s first career front-row start at Indy.