Editor’s note: Total outcomes comply with this tale.
In a move reminiscent of 1 of his racing heroes and fellow countrymen, particularly Arie Luyendyk, fulfill the newest model of “The Traveling Dutchman,” as in Rinus VeeKay, who powered his way to the top of the pace chart throughout Saturday’s qualifying for future Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
VeeKay recorded a four-lap typical pace of 233.655 mph in his No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Workforce Chevrolet to best all 33 drivers.
Nevertheless, that effort could be all for naught — except if he can reach back for a bit additional pace — on Sunday, when the best 12 qualifiers from Saturday will sq. off for two more rounds of qualifying, which also contains the Firestone Quick 6 and will decide the real pole-sitter and also the lineup for the first two rows for upcoming Sunday’s race.
The motive for the transform in qualifying treatments — alternatively than obtaining the traditional “Bump Working day” on Sunday — is due to the simple fact that there are specifically 33 cars entered for the race, indicating there is certainly no have to have for bumping as there are no other likely entries for the race. Irrespective of whether the new structure is liked by enthusiasts, or returns upcoming 12 months if there are a lot more than 33 entries, stays to be found.
“It’s a excellent start,” VeeKay stated. “It reveals we have a very good car and self-confidence for tomorrow. We can surely problem for pole. I imagine Ganassi is undoubtedly our major rival out there for difficult for pole.”
But only the fastest 12 cars Saturday will be ready to consider to the observe Sunday. In other words and phrases, positions 13 through 33 have been locked in and simply cannot be changed.
Prior to Sunday’s qualifying will be follow for the top rated 12 qualifiers from Saturday on Sunday, from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Sunday’s 2nd spherical of qualifying for the major 12 kicks off at 4 pm ET, with the six quickest from that team shifting on to battle for the Firestone Quick 6, which is slated to get started shortly following 5 pm ET. All qualifying endeavours should be finished by the traditional 6 pm ET curfew that stops all racing tries.
Whoever emerges from each rounds of qualifying — every endeavor is four laps — will be crowned the pole-sitter for the Finest Spectacle In Racing and will take property a $100,000 bonus prize for having the best spot.
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Next VeeKay’s burst Saturday have been Arrow McLaren SP teammates Pato O’Ward (233.037 mph) and Felix Rosenqvist (232.775 mph). Alex Palou, the defending NTT IndyCar Series champion, was fourth-speediest and led a five-driver effort and hard work from Chip Ganassi Racing and their high-powered Honda motors in the prime 12 (232.774 mph).
Palou’s CGR teammate, former Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, creating his lone appearance in an IndyCar race this period, was fifth-speediest (232.625 mph).
Arguably the greatest shock of the working day driving VeeKay’s sprint was 7-time NASCAR Cup champ Jimmie Johnson, who was sixth-swiftest (232.398 mph).
“It’s very wonderful, and I’m just so grateful to be component of the team,” a smiling Johnson mentioned. “Watching them get ready basically because they remaining listed here past year and continually wondering of this race, and it being a motto to acquire in this article just before the championship. To be a aspect of it, to dwell it, to now be below going through it is actually interesting.”
Ed Carpenter was seventh-speediest (232.397 mph), but he likely wished he could have substituted his pace all through Saturday morning’s pre-qualifying follow classes with a single-lap run of 234.410 mph, the fastest pace witnessed at IMS since 1996.
Wrapping up the prime 12 Saturday were being Marcus Ericsson (232.275 mph), Romain Grosjean (232.201 mph), and a few previous Indy 500 winners: 6-time IndyCar champ and 2008 500 winner Scott Dixon (232.151 mph), 2018 500 winner Will Power (231.842 mph) and two-time 500 winner Takuma Sato, who was the speediest in each and every of the very first 3 days of exercise, was 12th-quickest (231.708 mph) and the last driver to be in a position to transfer into Sunday’s subsequent spherical(s) of qualifying.
Here are the whole final results from Saturday’s qualifying:
