IndyCar: Alex Palou Takes Provisional Pole for the Indy 500
The gun has sounded at the end of the 2025 PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying for the 109th running of the Indy 500. and Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou turned the fastest 4-lap average at 233.043mph.
Palou is the runaway points leader in the NTT IndyCar Series, and he continued his mastery over the others today, but just barely.
Palou used his skill to top Penske Chevy drivers Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden in 2nd and 3rd despite them driving a superior car that Roger Penske’s team always brings to the Speedway.
“It’s tough conditions out there,” Palou said. “Yesterday it was with the temperature; today it was with the wind. The car has been really good. We were struggling this morning (in practice). I was unable to finish a four-lap (qualifying simulation) run. Now we were able to finish it quite strongly.
“Super happy. I don’t know if there’s more (speed in the car), but there’s always more. The line between more and too much is very thin here at IMS. We’ll see what we have for tomorrow.”
McLaughlin, last year’s polesitter, was close behind Palou at 233.013mph.
Newgarden going for his third straight win in the Indy 500, had a 4-lap average of 233.004mph, again very close to Palou.
The wind was a factor in today’s running, causing one significant incident for Colton Herta. Marcus Armstrong also crashed today in the morning practice.
After a whole afternoon of qualifying runs, only positions 13-30 are set for the race next Sunday, May 25. The Top 12 and the last four positions will have to requalify tomorrow.
Conor Daly, the No. 76 am/pm Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet driver, was the final qualifier today. After an infraction disqualified his first run, the American went out with four minutes to go and ran with a four-lap average speed of 231.725, just missing the top 12.
Colton Herta, driver of the No. 26 Gainbridge Andretti Global Honda, was able to get out to qualify late this afternoon after his car was repaired. His four-lap average of 230.192 was quick enough to earn him 29th position and bump his teammate, Marco Andretti, from the field.
Marcus Armstrong, the No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance driver, took to the track with a car pieced together after his primary car was destroyed this morning in the practice session. With only five minutes to go, the Kiwi waved off his run when he could not find the speed today.
Robert Shwartman
The day’s story is the rookie Robert Shwartzman, driver of the No. 83 Prema Racing Chevrolet. Autoracing1 spoke with him after his impressive run.
“It feels really nice, honestly, like, definitely, It tickled my nerve. The whole thing, like, before going to do my laps, I was quite nervous, honestly. And I went down and I was like, well, listen, I know that the car is good. Yesterday. We did good running. I need to be consistent. And, you know, I went out flat out.”
“And the first two laps, honestly, the car was really good, really amazing. Then, from lap two to lap three, the car started to lose a bit in the rear. So obviously I got a bit scared, and I tried to be taking it a bit more easy, because I didn’t want to mess things up.”
“So yeah, overall, I just tried to be consistent and finish the laps. And yeah, we did a pretty solid run. I would say I’m happy about it. And, yeah, standing here, I know I could have done even better, so probably being closer to Pato (O’Ward). But yeah, overall, I’m happy with my first run, honestly, very, very excited. ”
Last Row Battle
Rinus VeeKay and Jacob Abel of Dale Coyne Racing, Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian and 2020 “500” pole sitter Marco Andretti of Andretti Herta w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian will compete for the three final spots in the 33-car starting field in Last Chance Qualifying from 5:15-6:15 p.m
Practice for the Top 12 will take place from 1-2 p.m., with a final practice for the Last Chance Qualifiers from 2-3 p.m. (both sessions FS2, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
Graham Rahal, who struggled with car handling all week, was the final driver to earn a guaranteed spot today. He qualified 30th at 229.863 mph in the No. 15 United Rentals Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing on his second attempt, at 3:27 p.m. Then he had an agonizing wait of nearly two and one-half hours to see if his speed would keep him in the field.
“This day didn’t start off well, but we found a lot, and we improved a lot as the day went on,” Rahal said. “Our guys kept our cool today and head’s down. That beer’s going to taste good tonight. I was praying all day somehow this would happen.”
Lucille Dust reporting live from Indianapolis
2025 Indy 500 Day 1 Qualifying Results
|
Rank |
Car |
Driver |
Engine |
Lap 1 |
Lap 2 |
Lap 3 |
Lap 4 |
Speed |
Qualified On |
Status |
|
1 |
10 |
Palou, Alex |
Honda |
38.6133 |
38.6088 |
38.6325 |
38.6235 |
233.043 |
Day 1 |
|
|
2 |
3 |
McLaughlin, Scott |
Chevy |
38.6043 |
38.7107 |
38.5799 |
38.6030 |
233.013 |
Day 1 |
|
|
3 |
2 |
Newgarden, Josef |
Chevy |
38.6151 |
38.6252 |
38.6271 |
38.6362 |
233.004 |
Day 1 |
|
|
4 |
5 |
O’Ward, Pato |
Chevy |
38.6512 |
38.6486 |
38.6614 |
38.6645 |
232.820 |
Day 1 |
|
|
5 |
9 |
Dixon, Scott |
Honda |
38.6892 |
38.6806 |
38.6962 |
38.6667 |
232.659 |
Day 1 |
|
|
6 |
83 |
Shwartzman, Robert |
Chevy |
38.5885 |
38.6101 |
38.7885 |
38.7957 |
232.584 |
Day 1 |
|
|
7 |
4 |
Malukas, David |
Chevy |
38.6251 |
38.6378 |
38.7685 |
38.7766 |
232.546 |
Day 1 |
|
|
8 |
60 |
Rosenqvist, Felix |
Honda |
38.5713 |
38.5816 |
38.9564 |
38.7633 |
232.449 |
Day 1 |
|
|
9 |
75 |
Sato, Takuma |
Honda |
38.6448 |
38.6533 |
38.8416 |
38.7554 |
232.415 |
Day 1 |
|
|
10 |
12 |
Power, Will |
Chevy |
38.7638 |
38.7848 |
38.7879 |
38.7395 |
232.144 |
Day 1 |
|
|
11 |
28 |
Ericsson, Marcus |
Honda |
38.7726 |
38.7193 |
38.7681 |
38.8243 |
232.132 |
Day 1 |
|
|
12 |
7 |
Lundgaard, Christian |
Chevy |
38.8304 |
38.7789 |
38.8518 |
38.8393 |
231.809 |
Day 1 |
|
|
13 |
76 |
Daly, Conor |
Chevy |
38.8318 |
38.8140 |
38.8147 |
38.8963 |
231.725 |
Day 1 |
|
|
14 |
20 |
Rossi, Alexander |
Chevy |
38.6710 |
38.8792 |
38.8304 |
38.9919 |
231.701 |
Day 1 |
|
|
15 |
8 |
Simpson, Kyffin |
Honda |
38.7937 |
38.8439 |
38.9210 |
38.8541 |
231.641 |
Day 1 |
|
|
16 |
33 |
Carpenter, Ed |
Chevy |
38.7904 |
38.8833 |
38.8448 |
38.8995 |
231.633 |
Day 1 |
|
|
17 |
14 |
Ferrucci, Santino |
Chevy |
38.8371 |
38.8373 |
38.8351 |
38.9358 |
231.593 |
Day 1 |
|
|
18 |
30 |
DeFrancesco, Devlin |
Honda |
38.7468 |
38.8389 |
38.8811 |
38.9907 |
231.575 |
Day 1 |
|
|
19 |
77 |
Robb, Sting Ray |
Chevy |
38.7773 |
38.8971 |
38.9527 |
38.9065 |
231.461 |
Day 1 |
|
|
20 |
21 |
Rasmussen, Christian |
Chevy |
38.7646 |
38.9281 |
38.9435 |
38.9127 |
231.438 |
Day 1 |
|
|
21 |
17 |
Larson, Kyle |
Chevy |
38.8021 |
38.8883 |
38.9354 |
38.9984 |
231.326 |
Day 1 |
|
|
22 |
45 |
Foster, Louis |
Honda |
38.8669 |
38.9154 |
39.0120 |
39.0106 |
231.058 |
Day 1 |
|
|
23 |
90 |
Ilott, Callum |
Chevy |
38.9142 |
38.9637 |
38.9931 |
38.9779 |
230.993 |
Day 1 |
|
|
24 |
06 |
Castroneves, Helio |
Honda |
38.9097 |
38.9394 |
39.0034 |
39.0067 |
230.978 |
Day 1 |
|
|
25 |
27 |
Kirkwood, Kyle |
Honda |
38.8022 |
38.9161 |
38.9177 |
39.2639 |
230.917 |
Day 1 |
|
|
26 |
6 |
Siegel, Nolan |
Chevy |
38.9652 |
38.9952 |
39.0642 |
39.1096 |
230.571 |
Day 1 |
|
|
27 |
23 |
Hunter-Reay, Ryan |
Chevy |
39.0208 |
39.0438 |
39.1288 |
39.0818 |
230.363 |
Day 1 |
|
|
28 |
24 |
Harvey, Jack |
Chevy |
38.9101 |
39.0487 |
39.2036 |
39.1229 |
230.348 |
Day 1 |
|
|
29 |
26 |
Herta, Colton |
Honda |
39.1173 |
39.0871 |
39.0924 |
39.0942 |
230.192 |
Day 1 |
|
|
30 |
15 |
Rahal, Graham |
Honda |
39.0302 |
39.1385 |
39.2382 |
39.2083 |
229.863 |
Day 1 |
|
|
31 |
26 |
Herta, Colton |
Honda |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
Day 1 |
Incomplete |
|
|
32 |
5 |
O’Ward, Pato |
Chevy |
38.6964 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
232.580 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
33 |
4 |
Malukas, David |
Chevy |
38.8124 |
38.8130 |
38.7028 |
38.7144 |
232.194 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
34 |
75 |
Sato, Takuma |
Honda |
38.7201 |
38.7659 |
38.7847 |
38.7889 |
232.169 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
35 |
9 |
Dixon, Scott |
Honda |
38.7702 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
232.137 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
36 |
12 |
Power, Will |
Chevy |
38.6818 |
38.6933 |
38.7225 |
39.1554 |
231.880 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
37 |
20 |
Rossi, Alexander |
Chevy |
38.7909 |
38.8244 |
38.8711 |
38.9052 |
231.673 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
38 |
12 |
Power, Will |
Chevy |
38.7421 |
38.7966 |
38.8589 |
39.0297 |
231.620 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
39 |
76 |
Daly, Conor |
Chevy |
38.8295 |
38.8616 |
38.8684 |
38.8833 |
231.596 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
40 |
20 |
Rossi, Alexander |
Chevy |
38.6972 |
38.8683 |
38.8927 |
39.0424 |
231.510 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
41 |
8 |
Simpson, Kyffin |
Honda |
38.8335 |
38.8754 |
38.9272 |
0.0000 |
231.489 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
42 |
28 |
Ericsson, Marcus |
Honda |
38.8887 |
38.8865 |
38.8941 |
0.0000 |
231.423 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
43 |
28 |
Ericsson, Marcus |
Honda |
38.8949 |
38.8852 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
231.422 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
44 |
33 |
Carpenter, Ed |
Chevy |
38.7285 |
38.9669 |
38.9237 |
38.9610 |
231.392 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
45 |
20 |
Rossi, Alexander |
Chevy |
38.8206 |
38.8893 |
38.8778 |
39.0213 |
231.349 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
46 |
76 |
Daly, Conor |
Chevy |
38.8996 |
38.8977 |
38.9319 |
38.9660 |
231.221 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
47 |
21 |
Rasmussen, Christian |
Chevy |
38.8525 |
38.9401 |
38.9435 |
38.9694 |
231.206 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
48 |
60 |
Rosenqvist, Felix |
Honda |
38.9715 |
38.9603 |
38.9678 |
0.0000 |
230.967 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
49 |
27 |
Kirkwood, Kyle |
Honda |
39.0036 |
39.0055 |
38.9944 |
38.9300 |
230.868 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
50 |
14 |
Ferrucci, Santino |
Chevy |
38.8551 |
39.1399 |
38.9947 |
38.9647 |
230.837 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
51 |
90 |
Ilott, Callum |
Chevy |
38.9275 |
38.9392 |
39.0905 |
39.0871 |
230.704 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
52 |
45 |
Foster, Louis |
Honda |
38.9530 |
38.9981 |
39.0988 |
39.0877 |
230.566 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
53 |
30 |
DeFrancesco, Devlin |
Honda |
38.7916 |
39.2063 |
39.1234 |
39.1183 |
230.415 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
54 |
77 |
Robb, Sting Ray |
Chevy |
39.1170 |
39.0160 |
38.9078 |
39.2536 |
230.335 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
55 |
14 |
Ferrucci, Santino |
Chevy |
38.7043 |
39.4455 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
230.327 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
56 |
7 |
Lundgaard, Christian |
Chevy |
39.3890 |
39.0007 |
39.0994 |
38.8263 |
230.304 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
57 |
23 |
Hunter-Reay, Ryan |
Chevy |
39.0730 |
39.0746 |
39.0740 |
39.1398 |
230.236 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
58 |
6 |
Siegel, Nolan |
Chevy |
39.0525 |
39.1262 |
39.1257 |
39.1500 |
230.099 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
59 |
17 |
Larson, Kyle |
Chevy |
39.0386 |
39.0349 |
39.1709 |
39.2411 |
230.053 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
60 |
24 |
Harvey, Jack |
Chevy |
39.0065 |
39.0799 |
39.1770 |
39.2503 |
230.012 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
61 |
98 |
Andretti, Marco |
Honda |
39.0480 |
39.1769 |
39.0925 |
39.3006 |
229.859 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
62 |
98 |
Andretti, Marco |
Honda |
39.1876 |
39.1580 |
39.1674 |
39.1061 |
229.857 |
Day 1 |
Bumped |
|
63 |
06 |
Castroneves, Helio |
Honda |
39.2006 |
39.0314 |
39.2578 |
39.2812 |
229.634 |
Day 1 |
Retired |
|
64 |
18 |
Veekay, Rinus |
Honda |
39.1007 |
39.0825 |
39.1754 |
39.4915 |
229.519 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
65 |
98 |
Andretti, Marco |
Honda |
39.1535 |
39.2334 |
39.2525 |
39.2402 |
229.475 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
66 |
98 |
Andretti, Marco |
Honda |
39.1984 |
39.2576 |
39.2774 |
39.2278 |
229.356 |
Day 1 |
Failed Attempt |
|
67 |
18 |
Veekay, Rinus |
Honda |
39.2308 |
39.2621 |
39.2902 |
39.2660 |
229.228 |
Day 1 |
Bumped |
|
68 |
18 |
Veekay, Rinus |
Honda |
39.1840 |
39.2878 |
39.3557 |
0.0000 |
229.149 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
69 |
15 |
Rahal, Graham |
Honda |
39.1342 |
39.1119 |
39.5575 |
39.6174 |
228.686 |
Day 1 |
Bumped |
|
70 |
66 |
Armstrong, Marcus |
Honda |
39.1987 |
39.2122 |
40.4147 |
0.0000 |
227.224 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
71 |
51 |
Abel, Jacob |
Honda |
39.7125 |
39.7983 |
39.6218 |
39.5566 |
226.859 |
Day 1 |
Bumped |
|
72 |
51 |
Abel, Jacob |
Honda |
39.4487 |
40.0273 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
226.483 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
|
73 |
66 |
Armstrong, Marcus |
Honda |
39.8399 |
39.7927 |
0.0000 |
0.0000 |
226.038 |
Day 1 |
Waved Off |
