INDIANAPOLIS – Persistent rain curtailed festivities surrounding the Opening Day of practice for the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday. The famed 2.5-mile oval was open for just 23 minutes, until 9:26 a.m. (EDT), before showers intensified and prevented further hot-lapping.
Speeds were impressive despite the brief session. Six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon – Indy 500 champion in 2008 – topped the chart at 229.107 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Marco Andretti, the 2020 Indy 500 pole-sitter and grandson of 1969 race champion Mario Andretti, was second-fast at 228.399 mph in the No. 98 MAPEI/Curb Honda fielded by Andretti Herta w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian. Both Dixon and Andretti benefitted from aerodynamic tows as morning traffic was brisk.
Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato was third at 225.551 mph in the No. 75 AMADA Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Pato O’Ward placed fourth – the fastest Chevrolet-powered driver – at 224.993 mph in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevy.
Christian Lundgaard ran fifth at 223.844 mph in the No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda, as Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing was the only team with multiple cars in the top-five.
Unfortunately, only 219 total laps were turned before the rain arrived, with 29 of 34 entries on-track and no driver exceeding 13 laps.
The 200-lap event billed as “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” is scheduled for Sunday, May 26.
Indy 500 rookie Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, managed to record two laps in the No. 17 Hendrickcars.com Arrow McLaren Chevrolet before rain halted activity. Larson, driving for Arrow McLaren/Rick Hendrick, is attempting to become the fifth driver to complete “The Double” of competing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day. Kurt Busch, the 2004 Cup Series champion, was the most recent crossover competitor to achieve the feat in 2014.
“It’s good to finally have the Indy 500 here,” Larson said. “I’ve known about this (double attempt) for a couple of years now, so it’s been a lot of waiting. Just happy to get this experience underway. The weather is getting in the middle of things today, but once we get through today, it should be good.”
This marked the second consecutive year rain hampered the first day of practice. Last year’s Opening Day was a washout, with no laps turned.
Practice is scheduled to resume from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (EDT) Wednesday. PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying is scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday to determine the traditional 33-car field.
NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings _ 1, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 152; 2, Will Power, Team Penske, 140; 3, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 127; 4, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, 127; 5, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 107; 6, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 88; 7, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 88; 8, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 86; 9, Christian Lundgaard, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 84; 10, Alexander Rossi, Arrow McLaren, 78;
11, Marcus Armstrong, Chip Ganassi Racing, 76; 12, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 71; 13, Linus Lundqvist, Chip Ganassi Racing, 68; 14, Romain Grosjean, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 68; 15, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 63; 16, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 63; 17, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 61; 18, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 60; 19, Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing, 58; 20, Augustin Canapino, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 48;
21, Jack Harvey, Dale Coyne Racing, 47; 22, Pietro Fittipaldi, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 45; 23, Tom Blomqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 41; 24, Theo Pourchaire, Arrow McLaren, 38; 25, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 32; 26, Sting Ray Robb, A.J. Foyt Racing, 31; 27, Callum Ilott, Arrow McLaren, 19; 28, Luca Ghiotto, Dale Coyne Racing, 14; 29, Colin Braun, Dale Coyne Racing, 10; 30, Nolan Siegel, Dale Coyne Racing, 10.
