Points leader and defending NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon was fastest in Saturday’s qualifying for the 105th Indianapolis 500.
Dixon covered the 2.5-mile oval with an average speed of 231.828 mph, followed by Colton Herta (231.648 mph) and Tony Kanaan (231.639 mph).
Dixon was the first driver to take to the track Saturday and held on to the top spot throughout. He did go out for a second qualifying attempt, but it was not as fast as the first one.
The remainder of the top nine drivers who will vie for the pole on Sunday were Ed Carpenter (231.616 mph), Rinus VeeKay (231.483), Helio Castroneves (231.164), Alex Palou (231.145), Ryan Hunter-Reay (231.139) and Marcus Ericsson (231.104).
Palou wrecked during his second qualifying effort with about 2 ½ hours left in Saturday’s session. The car wiggled coming out of Turn 1 and into the short chute and then plowed nearly head-on into the wall exiting Turn 2. Palou was unhurt in the incident. The team said it intends to keep the original tub and rebuild the suspension and have it ready for Sunday’s bid for the Fast Nine.
“Just a bit frustrated,” Palou told NBC Sports. “Chip Ganassi Racing gave me the fastest car for the day and weekend. I was pushing to be faster and lost the rear in entry. It was a big shame. Things happen. It happened when you try to go fast and you try to put everything to the limit. We’re going to try and fix it for tomorrow and go back out. That’s what we do.”
Palou wasn’t the only one frustrated. The same can be said about Chevrolet-powered teams. Honda captured the top three spots, as well as eight of the top 10 (Carpenter and VeeKay were the only Chevy drivers to crack it), and 14 of the top 20.
Biggest Surprises
As has become the rule rather than the exception in recent years of qualifying for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, Saturday’s effort presented a number of surprises—if not outright shocks to the system:
• The most notable was 2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power, who failed to qualify in the top 30 to lock himself into a spot in the final 33-car race day field. As a result, Power will have to come back Sunday to be one of five drivers who will bid to make the three final three spots in the 11th and last row of the field.
“You need to be a scientist to work this one out,” a dejected Power quipped to NBC Sports. “We gave it our best shot. If we just do a conservative run tomorrow, we should be OK. But if something goes wrong, you’re out. Definitely nerve-wracking but we definitely did what we could.”
One good bit of news for Power: he was under the impression that he would only have one qualifying attempt Sunday. On the contrary. He can make several runs, if necessary, to secure his spot in the field. However, rain is in the forecast for mid-to-late afternoon, so Team Penske can waste little time in its effort to get Power into the field.
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Even so, Power doesn’t seem overly fraught, telling NBC, “I think we have the speed to be in the field tomorrow.”
Power was only one part of an overall disappointing effort by Team Penske. It’s highest-qualifying driver of its four entries was newcomer Scott McLaughlin, competing in his first-ever Indy 500, coming up with the 17th-fastest speed (230.557 mph). Teammate Josef Newgarden was 21st-fastest (230.071 mph), while 2019 500 winner Simon Pagenaud was 26th-fastest (229.778 mph).
• Another surprise was Simona de Silvestro, the figurehead for the all-female Paretta Autosport team, who also failed to make the top 30. She will join Power and three others for Sunday’s battle for the final three spots. The Swiss driver was the last driver to make what was a third attempt of the day, taking to the track with less than 20 seconds before qualifying ended for the day, but was unable to improve her lot, forcing her to return Sunday.
“It was close but tomorrow, we just try to get in the field and see how we can work on the race car,” de Silvestro told NBC Sports.
De Silvestro looked like she would have earned the final locked-in qualifying spot—30th place—got loose coming off Turn 2 on her third lap and that knocked her out. “We’ll take another go and keep fighting,” team owner Beth Paretta told NBC Sports. “If we gave up easily, we wouldn’t be here. No one on this team has a give up attitude.”
Penske Has Work to Do
• Also of note, this marks the first time since 1995 that two Team Penske cars will have to race their way into the field on Sunday. The Paretta Autosport effort is a satellite operation of Team Penske, with a partnership that includes a Chevrolet motor, technical support and pit crew assistance where needed.
• In addition to Power and de Silvestro, other drivers that still need to qualify on Sunday are Sage Karam, Charlie Kimball and RC Enerson.
• One of the biggest positive and surprise showings came in the closing minutes of Saturday’s qualifying as Dalton Kellett, despite having a slow effort (228.323 mph), locked himself and the No. 4 Chevrolet-powered car into the top 30, assuring them a start in next Sunday’s race.
“It’s exciting, it’s Bump Day, it’s what the fans love,” Kellett told NBC. “It might not have been my favorite afternoon but I’m sure everyone that came out today had a great time. The (A.J.) Foyt guys gave me a good Team Chevy and managed to get that last run. I’m happy to make it in the field.”
• Among the more impressive upward moves in later-day runs, last week’s Grand Prix winner, Rinus VeeKay, jumped from 12th to 5th , while Ed Jones jumped eight spots to 11th from 19th. “It’s a huge difference,” Jones told NBC Sports.
Follow Autoweek contributor Jerry Bonkowski on Twitter @JerryBonkowski
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