By: Spencer Neff
May 18, 2024

Qualifying Results Qualifying Procedure Live Grid

2018 winner Will Power was fastest during the first day of qualifying for next Sundays 108th Indianapolis 500.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES all-time pole leader (70) is still looking for his first one at this race.

Power, who started 2nd in 2014 and 2015, ran a best four-lap average speed of 233.758 mph on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Teammate Scott McLaughlin will make his first “Fast 12” appearance at the Indianapolis 500 after posting the second-fastest average.

Defending race winner Josef Newgarden was third and is guaranteed his best starting spot since 2019.

Team Penske will look for their 20th pole and first since 2019 (Simon Pagenaud).

2016 race winner Alexander Rossi made it four Chevrolet entries on top with his afternoon improvement to over 233 mph. Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood was the fastest Honda in fifth.

Rossi’s teammate Kyle Larson was the lone rookie to make the Fast 12 in sixth.

Completing the drivers who go into tomorrow guaranteed a spot in the front quartet of rows are Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist, A.J. Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Takuma Sato along with Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay as well as Dreyer and Reinbold Racing’s Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Although five of those dozen have won the “500” before, none have started on the pole.

Today also ends Chip Ganassi Racing’s streak of three consecutive poles. Last year’s pole winner and current series points leader Alex Palou was best on the team in 14th.

Accidents and Engine Issues add to drama

During the fourth run of the day, Rinus VeeKay crashed in Turn 3. On his first lap, the Ed Carpenter Racing driver slid down the north chute into Turn 4.

Despite limping out of the car, he was able to climb from his car and soon got released from the infield care center.

VeeKay’s crew would repair the No. 21 entry and he qualified with a 231.166 mph average, good enough for 29th at the time.

As the clock wound down, VeeKay and his team opted to withdraw their precious time. The gamble paid off as he improved to 11th with a 232.419 mph average, good enough for 11th.

After Honda drivers Palou, Scott Dixon and Graham Rahal all switched to new engines, Chevrolet would go through a rough patch of their own.

Reported plenum issues affected qualifying for Larson, O’Ward, Ed Carpenter, Christian Rasmussen, Agustin Canapino and Conor Daly

Ericsson, Rahal, Legge and Siegel to run in Last Row Shootout

For the second consecutive year, all four drivers competing in the Last Row Shootout are racing Honda-powered cars.

Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal, Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ward Racing’s Katherine Legge and Dale Coyne Racing teammate Nolan Siegel are the four drivers battling for the last three spots.

Rahal looks to avoid last year’s fate when he failed to qualify. Ericsson (2022) is the first former “500” winner in the Last Row Shootout since Will Power in 2021. That year, he made the race in 32nd.

That year also featured RC Enerson, the last rookie before Siegel to appear in the qualifying effort. Enerson, who drove for Top Gun Racing at the time, did not qualify for the race.

Mechanical issues befell a number of drivers on Saturday as well.

Arrow McLaren’s Callum Ilott saw his first run disallowed following a “non-compliant left rear wheel offset”.

Scott Dixon would change engines in his Chip Ganassi Racing entry before his first qualifying attempt.

The current field average is 232.195 mph, barely eclipsing last year’s record of 232.184 mph.

Up Next

Practice for the Fast 12 is scheduled for 12-1 with a 1-2 session planned for the drivers in the Last Row Shootout.

At 3:05, the Fast 12 will run with positions 7-12 set.

4:15-5:15 is scheduled for the Last Row Shootout. The fastest three will start on the 11th row and the slowest driver will not qualify.

The Fast Six will run for the pole at 5:25, with the sixth-fastest driver going first and the fastest from the Fast 12 qualifying last.

IndyCar1909 will be on-site at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for all on-track sessions leading up to the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Ganbridge. 

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Header Image By Chris Jones/INDYCAR