Indy 500: Dixon leads qualifying, Power is in trouble

Dixon took full advantage of drawing number one in the draw, and the ambient 80degF/track 94degF at the start of the session to lay down the fastest first lap – 232.574mph – the fourth fastest second lap, the fastest third lap, and the fastest fourth lap to clock an average of 231.828mph.

Right now, there appear to be five drivers capable of snatching away Dixon’s first IndyCar pole since the 2017 Indy 500, once the Fast Nine shootout commences tomorrow. Three of them are his teammates – Kanaan, Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson – who ran in less favorable conditions but clocked third, sixth and eighth fastest.

The others are Colton Herta of Andretti Autosport-Honda who ran 30^th yet had the pace to snatch P2, and Ed Carpenter. The three-time polesitter gave the lie to the theory that Chevrolet were way off Honda while running 1.5-bar turbo boost, as he clocked a 232mph opening lap to put him right in Dixon/Kanaan territory and radioed into the team after his four-lap run that there was more to come.

With one of his teammates Rinus VeeKay in 12^th and Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren SP-Chevrolet in 10^th, that put into perspective the struggles of Team Penske-Chevrolet. Scott McLaughlin, the rookie was the best in 15^th, while Josef Newgarden was 20^th, 2019 winner Simon Pagenaud 23^rd and 2018 winner Will Power a disastrous 31^st. In fact he was probably a genuine 32^nd, but Jack Harvey of Meyer Shank Racing-Honda had a major issue with a right rear tire which former driver Paul Tracy described as delaminated. The other MSR-Honda of Helio Castroneves, a four-time Indy 500 polesitter, clocked a highly impressive fifth, albeit after being the fourth car on track.

Last year’s polesitter Marco Andretti, now only a part-timer, was a disappointed 27^th, while Simona De Silvestro of Paretta Autosport found her car wayward and oversteering.

Top Gun Racing’s RC Enerson ran an impressively consistent four laps, given that he ran last of all after failing tech first time through, and the rookie had little experience of proper qualifying trim.

Cars can now make an unlimited number of runs. Those entries wishing to take advantage of this opportunity can join one of two lines. The fast line takes priority but obliges the entry to withdraw his or her current 4-lap average. Getting to the track via the slow lane allows an entry to retain his or her existing speed.

When the gun goes off at 5.50pm this afternoon, grid positions 10 through 30 will be locked in place.

The top nine will progress to the Fast Nine shootout – just one 4-lap run per car – on Sunday at 3.00-3.45pm, while the bottom five from qualifying today will be consigned to the Last Chance Qualifying shootout on Sunday from 1.15 to 2.30pm for the three slots on the last row of the grid.

INDY 500 FIRST QUALIFYING RUNS