Power
Will Power on track during Indianapolis 500 qualifying. (IndyCar Photo)

Indy 500 Qualifying: Penske Leads The Way So Far

INDIANAPOLIS – The cutline has been reached in Saturday’s Indianapolis 500 qualifications as all 34 drivers with have made qualification attempts at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

With the top-30 speeds locked into the starting lineup when qualifications conclude at 5:50 p.m. ET, currently the four drivers who have been bumped out of the lineup include Graham Rahal in the No. 15 Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and Nolan Siegel.

At the other end of the scoring pylon is Team Penske’s Will Power, with the fastest four-lap average of 233.758 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet. Teammate Scott McLaughlin is second in the No. 3 Pennzoil Chevrolet with a four-lap average of 233.332 mph and defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden’s four-lap run that averaged 233.298 mph in the No. 2 Shell Chevrolet.

Row two included Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi at 232.962 mph in the No. 7 Chevrolet, Kyle Kirkwood’s AutoNation Honda from Andretti Global with a four-lap run at 232.756 and 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson, who overcame an issue on his first attempt to make it safely into the Fast 12 with his second run.

Larson’s No. 17 Arrow McLaren/Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet had a plenum fire on his Chevrolet engine on the final lap of his first run. He came back in the heat of the afternoon for a second attempt that averaged 232.563 mph over four laps around the 2.5-mile oval.

Qualifications will continue until 5:50 p.m. Eastern Time. The fastest 12 drivers will advance into Sunday’s Fast 12 qualifications. The slowest four qualifiers will participate in Last Chance Qualifying for the 11th and final row on Sunday followed by the “Fast Six” that will fight it out for the Indy 500 Pole.

Positions 13-30 will be locked into the starting lineup based on Saturday’s qualifications.