No Bump Day, so Sunday is 'get the pole hump day' for top 12 Indy 500 qualifiers
Editor's note: Full results follow this story.
In a move reminiscent of one of his racing heroes and fellow countrymen, namely Arie Luyendyk, meet the newest version of "The Flying Dutchman," as in Rinus VeeKay, who powered his way to the top of the speed chart during Saturday's qualifying for next Sunday's Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
VeeKay recorded a four-lap average speed of 233.655 mph in his No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Chevrolet to top all 33 drivers.
However, that effort may be all for naught -- unless he can reach back for a bit more speed -- on Sunday, when the top 12 qualifiers from Saturday will square off for two additional rounds of qualifying, which also includes the Firestone Fast Six and will determine the real pole-sitter and also the lineup for the first two rows for next Sunday's race.
The reason for the change in qualifying procedures -- rather than having the traditional "Bump Day" on Sunday -- is due to the fact that there are exactly 33 cars entered for the race, meaning there's no need for bumping as there are no other potential entries for the race. Whether the new format is liked by fans, or returns next year if there are more than 33 entries, remains to be seen.
“It’s a good start,” VeeKay said. “It shows we have a good car and confidence for tomorrow. We can definitely challenge for pole. I think Ganassi is definitely our biggest rival out there for challenging for pole.”
But only the fastest 12 cars Saturday will be able to take to the track Sunday. In other words, positions 13 through 33 have been locked in and cannot be changed.
Prior to Sunday's qualifying will be practice for the top 12 qualifiers from Saturday on Sunday, from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Sunday's second round of qualifying for the top 12 kicks off at 4 pm ET, with the six fastest from that group moving on to battle for the Firestone Fast Six, which is slated to start shortly after 5 pm ET. All qualifying efforts must be completed by the traditional 6 pm ET curfew that stops all racing attempts.
Whoever emerges from both rounds of qualifying -- each attempt is four laps -- will be crowned the pole-sitter for the Greatest Spectacle In Racing and will take home a $100,000 bonus prize for taking the top spot.
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Following VeeKay's burst Saturday were 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-fastest and led a five-driver effort from Chip Ganassi Racing and their high-powered Honda motors in the top 12 (232.774 mph).
Palou's CGR teammate, former Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, making his lone appearance in an IndyCar race this season, was fifth-fastest (232.625 mph).
Arguably the biggest surprise of the day behind VeeKay's sprint was seven-time NASCAR Cup champ Jimmie Johnson, who was sixth-fastest (232.398 mph).
“It’s pretty awesome, and I’m just so thankful to be part of the group,” a smiling Johnson said. “Watching them prepare literally since they left here last year and continually thinking of this race, and it being a motto to win here before the championship. To be a part of it, to live it, to now be here experiencing it is really cool.”
Ed Carpenter was seventh-fastest (232.397 mph), but he probably wished he could have substituted his speed during Saturday morning's pre-qualifying practice sessions with a single-lap run of 234.410 mph, the fastest speed seen at IMS since 1996.
Wrapping up the top 12 Saturday were Marcus Ericsson (232.275 mph), Romain Grosjean (232.201 mph), and three former Indy 500 winners: six-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 fastest in each of the first three days of practice, was 12th-fastest (231.708 mph) and the last driver to be able to transfer into Sunday's next round(s) of qualifying.
Here are the full results from Saturday's qualifying:
