By: Spencer Neff
May 19, 2025

Practice Results Combined Practice Results Revised Starting Lineup

With qualifying completed, teams have shifted focus back to preparations for Sunday’s 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. Race Week began with a two-hour practice that saw Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing lead again.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader, who starts the 200-lap race in sixth, posted a best lap of 226.765 mph (39.6887 seconds) on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Palou was followed technical partner Meyer Shank Racing and driver Helio Castronevs, whose best lap was .0568 of a second behind.

Castroneves, who will make his 25th start, goes for a record-breaking fifth win at the “500” from 22nd following this morning’s announcement of penalties.

After qualifying a career-best second, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Takuma Sato completed a 1-2-3 effort by Honda in the session. Sato is racing for his third win at the Indianapolis 500.

Fellow 500-only entrants Dreyer and Reinbold led the way for the Chevrolet brigade. Jack Harvey and 2014 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay would round out the Top Five in the session. They will start the 200-lap race from 26th and 27th, the middle and outside of the ninth row.

Arrow McLaren’s Nolan Siegel was the fastest of the three rookies in the field. He starts his first “500” from 24th.

Less than 24 hours after his run to the pole, Robert Shwartzman and PREMA Racing were 26th today. Teammate Callum Ilott was 19th-fastest and will roll off 21st on the grid.

Following a weekend marred by four separate crashes, the session was limited to a trio of caution flags, with the first one being the only that was not a debris caution.

Just over 10 minutes into the session, Christian Rasmussen tagged the outside wall in Turn 2 before spinning onto the infield grass on the back straightaway. Rasmussen’s Ed Carpenter Racing machine sustained minor damage. It is the second time in five days that Rasmussen has made contact with the wall in Turn 2.

Prior to his incident, Rasmussen was fifth on the board with a best lap of 225.247 mph (39.9562 seconds) but would end the session in ninth.

Up Next

Carb Day will hold the final on-track action before Sunday’s race.

Friday will have a two-hour practice from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and the annual Pit Stop Competition is set for 2:30 p.m. FS1 will have live coverage of both events.

IndyCar1909 will be on-site and credentialed for all on-track activities. Stick with IndyCar1909 and our social media for the latest on the Indianapolis 500 and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. 

Header Image By Matt Fraver/INDYCAR