Takuma Sato leads another practice session at Indianapolis. (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)
SPEEDWAY, Ind. – In the history of the Indianapolis 500, the driver who ended up fastest during Friday’s Carburetion Day has won only on seven occasions.
That’s what two-time Indy 500 champion Takuma Sato hopes to do as his speed of 227.855 mph topped the board on what was a rough going for tire wear.
As Sato once again showcased speed that makes him a favorite to win his third Indianapolis 500, several drivers had varying afternoons ranging from tire problems or simply not having the car to their liking in the final two-hour session before Sunday’s 107th Indy 500.
Among those who had issues were Katherine Legge and Devlin DeFrancesco. Each had a tire woes, namely with Legge’s left rear wheel hub being loose. Fortunately, the tire didn’t come off similar to Graham Rahal in 2021 that ended his best chance of winning the 500 that year.
Later in the session, DeFrancesco’s right front tire went down, causing some sparks heading into Turn 2. He kept his No. 29 Andretti Autosport Honda off the wall and brought it back to pit lane.
Colton Herta ended up seventh fastest in Carb Day, hoping to get Andretti Autosport back up front in an up-and-down month for the organization. However, Herta feels the cars, including his No. 26 Honda, are fine compared to the issues with qualifying. Most notably, Marco Andretti was livid at his team during qualifying last weekend.
“I never really doubted the race car stuff until Fast Friday. So after Fast Friday I knew that we might be in a little bit of trouble, even though we were only — I think we were still fifth on four-lap average but our first lap wasn’t amazing,” Herta said. “I think I knew we were in a little bit of trouble, but the car still has speed in it in the race trim, which is more important, obviously, so I’m not too worried about it.”
Several drivers in the paddock have been impressed with one driver on the grid, perhaps as a threat in the 500 and even Rookie of the Year. At one point, Argentina’s Agustin Canapino was quickest earlier in Carb Day, but wound up as the sixth fastest, showcasing that the top rookie honors is not locked for Benjamin Pedersen, who was 17th fastest.
“Canapino was pretty decent,” Herta said. “He was pretty far up there in this session, but he looked all right. I think he’s still got a little bit left to learn from following him and whatnot on his gaps and his timing, but he seems like he has a fast car. I think if he can make some adjustments driving-wise, it could be really good for him.”
On the other hand, Josef Newarden sees Canapino’s impressive efforts more than what he has done this month. It goes back to his current rookie season thus far and as he pointed out, Argentina has loads of support.
“He’s very, very impressive this year and people wrote him off before he even started. He’s done tremendously well for no experience. I can’t speak highly enough about it,” said Newgarden.
Canapino passing Herta during Carb Day. (Photo: Luis Torres | The Podium Finish)
At a premium, track position is crucial. Pole sitter Alex Palou explained that by being up front, the level of aggression will not be as high compared to the guys desperate to make moves.
Sunday’s race may lead to chaos, but in Palou’s eyes, it will not be much different as in previous years.
“When you’re at the back, if you have a chance, you need to go for it, and then everybody is going to be diving in quite late,” said Palou. “But I don’t think it’s very different to the past. Like last year I remember when I dropped to the back being used to being up front at the beginning of the race, I was like, ‘Oh, wow. These guys are going for it really hard. But that’s always like that. Hopefully it’s not too crazy.”
Chip Ganassi Racing’s superb Friday carried onto the Pit Stop Competition as the No. 9 squad won their fourth contest with Scott Dixon being involved in all of them. While racers see the Indy 500 as a team effort, this contest lived up to the sentiment, especially for a team that sought for vengeance after last year’s finals.
During the final round, Dixon’s No. 9 team defeated Will Power’s No. 12 Penske squad, 2-1, as they look to become the first crew to win the competition and the Indy 500 in the same year.
The last team to accomplish this feat was Penske’s No. 3 team in 2009 when Helio Castroneves was their driver.
“It’s huge for the team. It just shows what everybody does at Chip Ganassi Racing, and it takes a team to win, and I have the best team,” said Dixon. “We’ll be giving it all Sunday, but obviously all the credit goes to everyone up here today. I just tried not to screw it up. Congrats, boys. That was fantastic.”
Dixon’s right rear tire changer Kyle Clark explained his crew have been competing against everyone. But there’s a catch — there’s so much a crew can do that some strategies aren’t being picked up.
“You don’t know what guys are doing fuel wise, you don’t know what they’re short filling, what tires they’re changing, et cetera,” Clark said. “This for us is just a straight heads up us against them, nothing else, so that’s what you get jacked up for as a pit crew guy is to be better than everybody.”
Nothing but jubilation from the No. 9 crew. (Photo: Luis Torres | The Podium Finish)
All the laps on the track are done.
All the preparations are done.
The next time 32 men and one woman hit the track, it will be game time. As one line in HAIM’s “I Know Alone” goes, “When Sunday comes, they expect me to shine.”
When the checkered flag is waved after 200 intense laps, one driver and race team will shine and live up to the expectation.
Live coverage of the 107th Indianapolis 500 begins at 11 a.m. ET on NBC. INDYCAR championship leader Alex Palou will lead the field to the green flag.
Top 10 Carb Day Results: Sato (227.855 mph), Dixon (227.285), Power (226.953), Palou (226.945), Kirkwood (226.872), Canapino (226.532), Herta (226.300), Grosjean (226.286), Newgarden (225.766), McLaughlin (225.565)
Top 3 “No-Tow” Results: Newgarden (220.567 mph), Rosenqvist (220.474), O’Ward (219.593)
Pit Stop Competition Results:
Round 1
No. 12 Team Penske def. No. 24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports
No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing def. No. 5 Arrow McLaren
No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing def. No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing
No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing def. No. 27 Andretti Autosport
No. 3 Team Penske def. No. 26 Andretti Autosport
No. 6 Arrow McLaren def. No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing
No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing def. No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing def. No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing
Quarterfinals
No. 12 Team Penske def. No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing def. No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing
No. 6 Arrow McLaren def. No. 3 Team Penske
No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing def. No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Semifinals
No. 12 Team Penske def. No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing def. No. 6 Arrow McLaren
Finals
No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing def. No. 12 Team Penske (2-1)
- Crew Chief & Right Front Tire Changer: Tyler Rees
- Left Front Tire Changer: Isaac Townsend
- Left Rear Tire Changer: Jason Beck
- Right Rear Tire Changer: Kyle Clark
- Fueler: Alphonse Girard
- Air Jack: Heath Cosik
- Driver: Scott Dixon
- Owner: Chip Ganassi
Dixon exiting out en route to bringing his pit crew $50,000 in prize money. (Photo: Luis Torres | The Podium Finish)
107th Indianapolis 500 Starting Lineup:
- 10 – Alex Palou
- 21 – Rinus VeeKay
- 6 – Felix Roseqvist
- 7 – Alexander Rossi (W)
- 5 – Pato O’Ward
- 9 – Scott Dixon (W)
- 7 – Alexander Rossi (W)
- 11 – Takuma Sato (W)
- 66 – Tony Kanaan (W)
- 8 – Marcus Ericsson (W)
- 55 – Benjamin Pedersen (R)
- 12 – Will Power (W)
- 33 – Ed Carpenter
- 3 – Scott McLaughlin
- 27 – Kyle Kirkwood
- 20 – Conor Daly
- 2 – Josef Newgarden
- 23 – Ryan Hunter-Reay (W)
- 28 – Romain Grosjean
- 06 – Helio Castroneves (W)
- 26 – Colton Herta
- 60 – Simon Pagenaud (W)
- 18 – David Malukas
- 98 – Marco Andretti
- 29 – Devlin DeFrancesco
- 78 – Agustin Canapino (R)
- 77 – Callum Ilott
- 50 – RC Enerson (R)
- 44 – Katherine Legge
- 45 – Christian Lundgaard
- 51 – Sting Ray Robb (R)
- 30 – Jack Harvey
- 24 – Graham Rahal
