By Josh Farmer

INDIANAPOLIS – Alexander Rossi is in the perfect position to defend his Indianapolis 500 crown.

Alexander Rossi will start third in the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil with a four-lap average of 231.487 mph. Photo by Doug Mathews

The 25-year-old from Nevada City, California won the 100^th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil as a rookie. Winning the race again would match the record set by Helio Castroneves in 2002 when he scored back to back wins in his first two attempts.

“It would be huge, it has been what every goal has been since last year,” he said. “We’ll do everything that we can to make it happen. I’m glad that he did it because it proved that it could be done. We’ll just have to execute and hopefully I’ll become the second person to do it.”

After qualifying 11^th, the driver of the No. 98 Napa Auto Parts Honda won the race in thrilling fashion by stretching his fuel load 36 laps and crossing the line without a drop in the tank. He also backed that up by setting the fastest lap of the race.

Alexander Rossi won the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil as a rookie in 2016. Photo by Chris Owens

With a year to reflect on his win, Rossi cherishes the memory even more but is focused more on the race ahead.

 “I’ve come to understand it a little bit more I think and appreciate it,” he said. “It’s a year later and we’re focused on this year.”

He improved on that this year as he qualified in third place, his career best Verizon IndyCar Series start. Rossi notes that while qualifying up front helps, he feel that he cannot just relax as there is a long race ahead.

“It was good to be on the front row, I think it shows that we do have pace around here,” he said. “I don’t know if it will make a difference come race day but it will be nice to get through turn one without much drama.”

Alexander Rossi after qualifying front-row for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. Photo by Chris Owens

Engine manufacturer Honda has suffered a high amount of failures this month. On the flip side, they landed six cars in the Fast Nine. All things considered, the ex-Formula 1 competitor does not feel worried about any problems during the race.

“I think Honda’s done an amazing job,” he said. “I think we’ve proved that with six cars in the Fast Nine so it speaks for itself.”

Andretti Autosport has arrived this year with a six-car assault that includes full-timers Marco Andretti, Takuma Sato and 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay. The team is completed by two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso and former Indy Lights competitor Jack Harvey.

The team as a whole has been strong the whole month and put three of their cars in the Fast Nine with Rossi in third followed by Sato in fourth and Marco Andretti in eighth. While he has a field of teammates and other competitors around him, Rossi feels good about race day given on how they improved throughout the month.

“The Napa Auto Parts Honda has been good since we rolled off,” he said. “We have done a good job developing as a team so I feel good about it.”