The pole position for the 2024 Indianapolis 500 will be determined on Sunday, May 19. The best qualifier will lead the field at the start of the race on May 26. Grades 1-4 and 11 will be scheduled today. Grades 5-10 are designated.
Team Penske’s drivers — Will Power, Scott McLaughlin and defending race winner Josef Newgarden — had the best qualifying runs on Saturday. Kyle Larson, who is trying to complete a NASCAR Indy 500 Cup double, also has a shot at the pole.
Pole-winning Alex Ballou’s 4-lap average speed of 234.217 mph as of 2023 is the first in MotoGP history. Arie Luyendyk set the qualifying record of 236.986 in 1996, but qualifying rules at the time required him to start at the back.
Continue please Nathan Brown All season for IndyCar news and analysis. We’ll have all the qualifiers here.
Summary of the first day: Team Penske’s Indy 500 qualifying title, Kyle Larson, will go to pole position
What is a completed event?Inside the flaw that hampered Chevy drivers on the first day of Indy 500 qualifying
5:50 p.m.: Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske dominates Indy 500 qualifying
Scott McLaughlin has the fastest win in race history at 234.220 mph as Team Penske sweeps the front row for the first time since 1988.
Will Power and Josef Newgarden will join McLaughlin in the front row next Sunday.
The second row includes Alexander Rossi, NASCAR star Kyle Larson and Santino Ferrucci.
Penske drivers Rick Mears, Al Unser and Danny Sullivan swept the front row for Penske in 1988, and Mears won.
This is Penske’s 19th pole position here, and first since Simon Pagenaud in 2019. Pagenaud is the last rider to win the race as well.
Indy 500 lineup:A complete guide to the 33-car starting field
5:20 p.m.: Indy 500 Fast 6 qualifying
With car number, driver, engine, team, average speed of 4 revolutions in mph
(3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, Penske, 234.220
(12) Will Power, Chevrolet, Penske, 233.917
(2) Joseph Newgarden, Chevrolet, Penske, 233.808
(7) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 233,090 (“I’m upset, but motivated,” he says of Team Penske)
(17) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 232,846; He thanks his team and heads to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, for the NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday night.
(14) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, Foyt, 232,692
Path conditions: 90 degrees, sunny; Tracking temperature 126.7
4:05 p.m.: Last chance qualifying for the Indy 500
Nolan Siegel, after his release from the medical center: “I’m going home because I did everything I could… It drove me up the wall.”
Grade 11 qualifiers: Katherine Legge, Marcus Eriksson, Graham Rahal.
With car number, driver, engine, team, average speed 4 revolutions mph; Drivers can make multiple attempts
Nolan Siegel crashed between turns one and two on the second lap of his final qualifying attempt and will miss the Indy 500. He exits the car under his own power. Along pit road, Graham Rahal, who qualified 33rd, sympathizes with Siegel. Rahal failed to qualify for the 2023 edition, but entered the race field after suffering an accident after qualifying involving Stefan Wilson.
(28) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, Andretti, 230,027; Nolan Siegel bumps
(15) Graham Rahal, Honda, RLL, 229.974; Marcus Eriksson is out at the moment.
(51) Katherine Legge, Honda, Queen, 230.092 (Shaken on warm-up lap, almost lost control on lap 4; post-race comment: “Terrifying,” adding that she’s such a bad stock car racer she also wants to cry.)
(28) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, Andretti, 220.702 (last lap at 195.411; slows down heading into Turn 1 on Lap 4, thinking his run is complete, and loses momentum); Race officials refuse to run.
(18) Nolan Siegel, Honda, Queen, 229,566
Path conditions: 88 degrees partly cloudy. Track temperatures 124
3:05 p.m.: Fast 12 Indy 500 qualifying
With car number, driver, engine, team, average speed 4 revolutions mph; *-Advance to Fast 6
Fast 6: Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin, Will Bauer, and Josef Newgarden, plus Alexander Rossi, Kyle Larson, and Santino Ferrucci. All Chevrolet.
Grade 3: Rinus Fekkai, Pato Oward, Felix Rosenqvist; Grade 4: Takuma Sato, Kyle Kirkwood, Ryan Hunter-Reay.
(12) Wheel Power, Chevrolet, Penske, 233.483*
(3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, Penske, 233.492*
(2) Joseph Newgarden, Chevrolet, Penske, 233.286*
(7) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 233.071*
(27) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, Andretti, 230,993 (“I know we have a good race car and a good starting position.”)
(17) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 232,788* (“Happy with how today went.” He plans to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star race in North Wilkesboro, N.C., later Sunday, but will first race Fast 6.)
(60) Felix Rosenqvist, Honda, Meyer Shank, 232.305
(14) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, Foyt, 232.723*
(75) Takuma Sato, Honda, RLL, 232.171
(5) Pato Award, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 232,584 (“Happiest Qualifying Balance” setting).
(21) Rinos Fekkai, Chevrolet, Carpenter, 232.610 (“It feels like an extra lap,” following the early crash and recovery on Saturday to get into the top 12.)
(23) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Chevrolet, D&R-Cusick, 230,567 (Post-run comment: “That was pretty terrible.”)
Path conditions: 87 degrees, partly cloudy. Tracking temperature 124.5
1:45 pm: Final class qualifiers training
Qualifying simulations: Catherine Legg (231,011); Marcus Ericsson (230.532); Graham Rahal (229,073); Nolan Siegel (228,955).
1 p.m.: Indy 500 Top 12 practice is complete
Here are the best 4-lap qualifying simulations, at an average mph
- (3) Joseph Newgarden, 233.707
- (60) Felix Rosenqvist, 232.848
- (3) Scott McLaughlin, 232.655
- (5) Batu Oward, 232.637
- (7) Alexander Rossi, 232.495
- (27) Kyle Kirkwood, 232.335
- (17) Kyle Larson, 232,091
- (12) Willpower, 231.688
- (75) Takuma Sato, 228.852
- (23) Ryan Hunter-Reay, 225.365
Kyle Larson admits that the constant tweaking in the search for qualifying speed is frustrating, considering that the qualifying process in NASCAR is much simpler.
12:30pm: Josef Newgarden had the highest level of qualifying training
Qualifying simulations: Josef Newgarden (233.707) and Felix Rosenqvist (232.848) topped O’Ward’s previous round.
NASCAR star Kyle Larson started a simulated qualifying round, but dropped out after briefly skidding.
12:15 p.m.: Indy 500 practice among top 12 teams
Qualifying simulations: Batu Oward (232.637); Alexander Rossi (232.495); Kyle Kirkwood (232.335); Willpower (231.688)
Path conditions: 84 degrees, sunny; Tracking temperature 114.4
Qualifiers Fast 12 Indianapolis 500
With car number, driver, engine, team and average speed 4 laps; All cars use Dallara chassis and Firestone tires (W race winner; R race winner)
One round of qualifying will split this group into the Fast Six, and the second round will determine the top six starters
- (12) Wheel Power (W), Chevrolet, Penske, 233.758 mph
- (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, Penske, 233.332
- (2) Joseph Newgarden (W), Chevrolet, Penske, 233.293
- (7) Alexander Rossi (W), Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 233,069
- (27) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, Andretti Global, 232,764
- (17) Kyle Larson (right), Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren 232,563
- (60) Felix Rosenqvist, Honda, Meyer Shank, 232,547
- (14) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, AG Foyt, 232,496
- (75) Takuma Sato (W), Honda, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, 232,473
- (6) Pato Award, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 232.434
- (21) Renault Vikai, Chevrolet, Ed Carpenter, 232.419
- (23) Ryan Hunter-Reay (W), Chevrolet, Dreyer & Reinbold-Kusick, 232.385
2024 Indy 500 last chance to qualify
Three of these drivers will make up Row 11, and one will not participate in the race
“The pressure will be high”:Ericsson, Rahal, Quinn compete for final positions in the Indy 500
(28) Marcus Ericsson (W), Honda, Andretti Global, 230.603
(51) Katherine Legg, Honda, Dale Quinn, 230.830
(15) Graham Rahal, Honda, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, 230.685
(18) Nolan Siegel (R), Honda, Dale Quinn, 228.276
2024 Indy 500 Row 5
13. (26) Colton Herta, Honda, Andretti Global, 232.316
14. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, Chip Ganassi Racing, 232.306
15. (6) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 232.230
2024 Indy 500 row 6
16. (11) Marcus Armstrong (right), Honda, Chip Ganassi Racing, 232.183
17. (20) Ed Carpenter Chevrolet, Ed Carpenter Racing, 232.017
18. (4) Kevin Simpson (right), Honda, Chip Ganassi Racing, 231.948
2024 Indy 500 row 7
19. (98) Marco Andretti, Honda, Andretti Global, 231,890
20. (06) Helio Castroneves (W), Honda, Meyer Shank, 231.871
21. (9) Scott Dixon (W), Honda, Chip Ganassi Racing, 231.851
2024 Indy 500 row 8
22. (78) Augustin Canapino, Chevrolet, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 231.847
23. (41) Sting Ray Robb, Chevrolet, AG Foyt Racing, 231.826
24. (33) Christian Rasmussen (right), Chevrolet, Ed Carpenter Racing, 231.851
2024 Indy 500 row 9
25. (66) Tom Blomqvist (right), Honda, Meyer Shank, 231,578
26. (77) Romain Grosjean, Chevrolet, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 231.514
27. (8) Linus Lundqvist (right), Honda, Chip Ganassi Racing, 231.506
2024 Indy 500 Row 10
28. (45) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, 231,465
29. (24) Connor Daly, Chevrolet, Dreyer & Reinbold-Kusick, 231.243
30. (30) Pietro Fittipaldi, Honda, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, 231.100
Indy 500 qualifying schedule and procedures
Listen to the event on IndyCar Radio or SiriusXM channel 218
Sunday, May 19
(The exercises will be on the peacock)
Noon – 1 p.m:Best 12 practices
1-2 pm: Last Chance Qualifiers training
(qualifying on NBC)
3:05-4:05 p.m: The 12 fastest cars from Saturday will get one attempt each to post an extra time. The slowest of these 12 goes first, then the 11th, and so on. Positions 7 through 12 during these sessions determine the starting positions for the race. The six fastest will have another chance to earn pole position.
4:15-5:15 p.m: The last chance to qualify will be determined by grade 11 (places 31-33). Each of the four slowest qualifiers from Saturday will be guaranteed a minimum of four laps. A person can make as many attempts as needed before the hour is up. The slowest car in this session does not make the Indy 500.
5:25-5:55 p.m: Fast Six selects the first two rows. Each car gets one attempt out of four laps, starting with sixth fastest from the 3:05pm session, then fifth, and so on. The fastest in this session starts the race from first place, and the rest fill rows 1 and 2 based on their attempts in this session.
“Travel aficionado. Infuriatingly humble reader. Incurable internet specialist.”
More Stories
Cardinals acquire pitcher Eric Fedde from White Sox in three-way deal with Dodgers
Detroit Tigers trade Carson Kelly to Texas Rangers
Rafael Nadal wins Olympic singles tennis title, sets up Novak Djokovic next round