INDIANAPOLIS – It was a great day for Andretti Autosport on Saturday as the team swept the first four positions in Saturday’s opening round of qualifications for the 104th Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Marco Andretti was the fastest driver Saturday with a four-lap average of 231.351 mph in the No. 98 US Concrete Honda. Ryan Hunter-Reay, the 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner, was second at 231.330 mph over four laps, followed by 2016 Indianapolis 500 champion Alexander Rossi’s 231.268 mph effort in the No. 27 NAPA Honda.
James Hinchcliffe, the 2016 Indianapolis 500 polesitter, was the fourth Andretti driver in the top-four with a four-lap run of 231.195 mph.
Among the other drivers that will fight it out for the pole in Sunday’s Fast Nine Shootout are 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon at 231.155 mph and Rinus VeeKay at 231.114 mph over four laps in the No. 21 Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing. VeeKay is the only Chevrolet driver with a shot at the pole.
Rounding out the Fast Nine was rookie Alex Palou’s 231.034 mph run in the No. 55 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing with Team GOH, Graham Rahal’s 230.822 mph effort in the No. 15 United Rentals Honda mph and 2017 Indianapolis winner Takuma Sato’s 230.792 mph run in the No. 30 Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Dixon created some drama at the end of the qualifying session when he went back on track to make what appeared to be an attempt at fast time. His first three laps were fast enough for the pole, but on the white flag lap the team decided to back off and keep the time from earlier.
However, Dixon’s single lap speed of 232.356 mph was the fastest of the day.
That serves notice to Andretti Autosport that the five-time NTT IndyCar Series champion will challenge for the pole on Sunday.
“We were just getting the balance right for tomorrow,” Dixon said. “It doesn’t matter. I think the car has a shot tomorrow. We want to get the balance right. I predict we have some more to come, too.
“We’ll do our best to get the right setup on the car and be more aggressive tomorrow. Today, we didn’t go hard enough.”
Andretti will be the last driver to make an attempt in Sunday’s Fast Nine Shootout for the Indianapolis 500 pole.
“We can play tomorrow; that’s going to be the fun part,” Andretti said. “We’re going to be playing with three of our teammates and Scott Dixon and a few of the guys. We get to pick first for the pit stop and that’s important for today.
“It’s going to be close. That’s what it’s all about, right?
Positions 10-33 are now locked into their starting positions based on Saturday’s four-lap averages. Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta was 10th at 230.775 mph. Marcus Ericsson’s Honda was 11th at 230.566 mph and Spencer Pigot’s Honda was 12th at 230.539 mph.
None of Team Penske’s cars will compete in the Fast Nine Shootout for the Indianapolis 500 pole Sunday. That team has a star-packed lineup including defending Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud, 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and defending NTT IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden.
Team Penske’s drivers will have to drive through the field if they are going to win next Sunday’s 104th Indianapolis 500. Newgarden will start on the inside of row five after his 230.296 mph qualifying effort. Power will start on the inside of row eight at 229.701 mph, Pagenaud is on the inside of row nine at 228.836 mph and Castroneves start on the inside of row 10 at 228.373 mph.
All 33 cars at the 104th Indianapolis 500 have completed their initial qualification attempts, with each making it through the four-lap qualifying runs safely on Saturday.
Ben Hanley is 33rd in the 33-car starting lineup.
Speeds From Day One Of Indianapolis 500 Qualifying
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