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Indy 500: Kanaan tops Practice Day 3, but Harvey really fastest

Posted by AR1 staff

Ganassi Honda veteran Tony Kanaan put the #48 machine, normally run at the back by Jimmie Johnson, up front in Thursday practice for the Indy 500 with a speed of 225.351 mph (see 2nd table below – speeds with tow).

“It feels good,” Kanaan said. “Today has been the hottest day so far this week, so we’ve been to do a couple of things to kind of do the cookbook. You’re just trying to check the weather, what are we running in this type of weather, trying to guess when you’re going to qualify and then try to guess what’s going to happen next Sunday when we take the green flag. We’re just working on racing setup.”

However, the fastest man without a tow, which of course really matters, was Jack Harvey in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda at 222.090 mph (see 1st table below).

Jack Harvey – the real fastest driver on Thursday. IMS Photo/James J. Black

Harvey got off to a quick start as the team began to test qualify simulations during the initial hours of the day. After just the second simulation Harvey brought the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda up to a speed of 222.090 mph which put him P1 on the speed charts for no tow times.

Harvey held that top spot through the remainder of the day.

“I thought that the first qualifying run that we did looked decent, and then it was a little bit better on the second one that we did, which was an encouraging sign,” said Harvey.

“I think the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda is looking pretty fast on its own. We have some work to do on our race car now, and we’ll wait and see what we can do tomorrow.”

Conor Daly continued a strong week on the 2.5-mile oval by ending up second at 225.245 in the No. 47 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet. Santino Ferrucci was third at 224.922 in the No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda in an abbreviated day.

Conor Daly – 11th fastest without a tow. IMS Photo/James J. Black

Ferrucci was transported to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for further evaluation of his left foot after being involved in the first major incident of practice this week. At 4:14 p.m., Ferrucci’s No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda did a quarter-spin to the left in Turn 2 and made hard rear contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2 before stopping on the back straightaway. The rear of the car suffered heavy damage.

Two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden was fourth at 224.885 in the No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet. Scott Dixon, fastest in practice Wednesday, ended up fifth today at 224.666 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda.

Josef Newgarden – this could be his year to win the 500.

Teams will shift to focusing on qualifying setups Friday in preparation for the drama and speed of Saturday and Sunday.

Today’s practice opened with drama from the first lap.

Colton Herta, driving the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda, brushed the Turn 4 wall and the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet driven by Scott McLaughlin after McLaughlin and the No. 16 Rocket Pro TPO/Paretta Autosport Chevrolet driven by Simona De Silvestro slowed due to three Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing cars running slowly in formation on the front straightaway on the first lap of the session. Per INDYCAR Rulebook Rule 9.3.1, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing was penalized for improper conduct, and its three cars – driven by reigning “500” winner Takuma Sato, Graham Rahal and Ferrucci – will not be allowed to participate in the first 30 minutes of practice Friday.

Herta and McLaughlin returned to the track later after Andretti Autosport and Team Penske checked their respective cars in Gasoline Alley.

“Day three is done here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and getting ready for Fast Friday tomorrow,” said Arrow McLaren Chevy driver Pato O’Ward. “I like the way that my racecar feels, but there’s still more to do on the qualifying car. So tomorrow will be a good teller to see where we land and where we stack up, should be good to get the extra boost. That’s always an extra bit of adventure around this place. Really happy with the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet and excited to turn it up tomorrow.”

“Third day done with a lot of running,” said O’Ward’s teammate Rosenqvist.

Felix Rosenqvist

“I think we definitely found a happy car in traffic, which is good. We tried a lot of different things today. Every time you try something new and it’s not very good, you can always revert back to that base car. That’s a good position to be in. We tried our qualifying program today, and I think that’s where we have to focus right now to get it a little better for qualifying. Then we should be good.”

Thursday Practice Results with No-Tow

Pos No Name Time Diff Gap Laps Non-Tow Speed Engine Team
1 60 Jack Harvey 40.3378 0.3983 0.015 91 222.090 Honda Meyer Shank Racing
2 22 Simon Pagenaud 40.4741 0.5346 0.0036 42 221.659 Chevy Team Penske
3 27 Alexander Rossi 40.4655 0.526 0.0054 94 221.606 Honda Andretti Autosport
4 12 Will Power 40.3172 0.3777 0.0186 82 221.575 Chevy Team Penske
5 2 Josef Newgarden 40.0204 0.0809 0.0065 121 221.417 Chevy Team Penske
6 20 Ed Carpenter 40.4601 0.5206 0.0295 96 221.195 Chevy Ed Carpenter Racing
7 9 Scott Dixon 40.0595 0.12 0.0391 65 221.085 Honda Chip Ganassi Racing
8 26 Colton Herta 40.1887 0.2492 0.0517 104 221.064 Honda Andretti Autosport
9 30 Takuma Sato 40.137 0.1975 0.0074 93 220.893 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
10 21 Rinus VeeKay 40.1054 0.1659 0.0459 96 220.831 Chevy Ed Carpenter Racing
11 47 Conor Daly 39.9565 0.017 0.017 90 220.712 Chevy Ed Carpenter Racing
12 16 Simona De Silvestro 40.7404 0.8009 0.0482 81 220.608 Chevy Paretta Autosport
13 25 Stefan Wilson 40.5763 0.6368 0.0223 102 220.545 Honda Andretti Autosport
14 15 Graham Rahal 40.5866 0.6471 0.0103 70 220.474 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
15 6 Helio Castroneves 40.1082 0.1687 0.0028 114 220.376 Honda Meyer Shank Racing
16 51 Pietro Fittipaldi 40.6134 0.6739 0.0268 71 220.288 Honda Dale Coyne Racing w/Rick Ware Racing
17 18 Ed Jones 40.4306 0.4911 0.0036 63 220.226 Honda Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser Sullivan
18 45 Santino Ferrucci 40.0139 0.0744 0.0574 50 220.003 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
19 7 Felix Rosenqvist 40.3228 0.3833 0.0056 85 219.758 Chevy Arrow McLaren SP
20 14 Sebastien Bourdais 40.9321 0.9926 0.1138 81 219.622 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
21 59 Max Chilton 40.8183 0.8788 0.0614 61 219.62 Chevy Carlin
22 24 Sage Karam 40.6483 0.7088 0.0349 86 219.483 Chevy Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
23 4 Dalton Kellett 40.554 0.6145 0.0799 71 219.371 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
24 29 James Hinchcliffe 40.7569 0.8174 0.0165 97 219.361 Honda Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport
25 8 Marcus Ericsson 40.1296 0.1901 0.0214 89 218.879 Honda Chip Ganassi Racing
26 5 Pato O’Ward 40.2986 0.3591 0.0285 64 218.704 Chevy Arrow McLaren SP
27 28 Ryan Hunter-Reay 40.2599 0.3204 0.0237 81 218.642 Honda Andretti Autosport
28 10 Alex Palou 40.2362 0.2967 0.0475 125 218.37 Honda Chip Ganassi Racing
29 3 Scott McLaughlin 40.2701 0.3306 0.0102 60 217.992 Chevy Team Penske
30 11 Charlie Kimball 40.6778 0.7383 0.0295 57 217.905 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
31 98 Marco Andretti 40.427 0.4875 0.0892 123 217.793 Honda Andretti Herta-Haupert w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian
32 48 Tony Kanaan 39.9395 0 0 80 217.596 Honda Chip Ganassi Racing
33 1 JR Hildebrand 40.6922 0.7527 0.0144 62 217.433 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
34 75 RC Enerson 41.3899 1.4504 0.4578 50 217.348 Chevy Top Gun Racing
35 86 Juan Pablo Montoya 40.4705 0.531 0.005 73 216.672 Chevy Arrow McLaren SP

 

Thursday Practice Results with Tow

Pos No Name Time Diff Gap Laps Speed Non-Tow Speed Engine Team
1 48 Tony Kanaan 39.9395 0.0000 0.000 80 225.341 217.596 Honda Chip Ganassi Racing
2 47 Conor Daly 39.9565 0.0170 0.0170 90 225.245 220.712 Chevy Ed Carpenter Racing
3 45 Santino Ferrucci 40.0139 0.0744 0.0574 50 224.922 220.003 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
4 2 Josef Newgarden 40.0204 0.0809 0.0065 121 224.885 221.417 Chevy Team Penske
5 9 Scott Dixon 40.0595 0.1200 0.0391 65 224.666 221.085 Honda Chip Ganassi Racing
6 21 Rinus VeeKay 40.1054 0.1659 0.0459 96 224.409 220.831 Chevy Ed Carpenter Racing
7 06 Helio Castroneves 40.1082 0.1687 0.0028 114 224.393 220.376 Honda Meyer Shank Racing
8 8 Marcus Ericsson 40.1296 0.1901 0.0214 89 224.273 218.879 Honda Chip Ganassi Racing
9 30 Takuma Sato 40.1370 0.1975 0.0074 93 224.232 220.893 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
10 26 Colton Herta 40.1887 0.2492 0.0517 104 223.944 221.064 Honda Andretti Autosport
11 10 Alex Palou 40.2362 0.2967 0.0475 125 223.679 218.370 Honda Chip Ganassi Racing
12 28 Ryan Hunter-Reay 40.2599 0.3204 0.0237 81 223.548 218.642 Honda Andretti Autosport
13 3 Scott McLaughlin 40.2701 0.3306 0.0102 60 223.491 217.992 Chevy Team Penske
14 5 Pato O’Ward 40.2986 0.3591 0.0285 64 223.333 218.704 Chevy Arrow McLaren SP
15 12 Will Power 40.3172 0.3777 0.0186 82 223.230 221.575 Chevy Team Penske
16 7 Felix Rosenqvist 40.3228 0.3833 0.0056 85 223.199 219.758 Chevy Arrow McLaren SP
17 60 Jack Harvey 40.3378 0.3983 0.0150 91 223.116 222.090 Honda Meyer Shank Racing
18 98 Marco Andretti 40.4270 0.4875 0.0892 123 222.623 217.793 Honda Andretti Herta-Haupert w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian
19 18 Ed Jones 40.4306 0.4911 0.0036 63 222.604 220.226 Honda Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser Sullivan
20 20 Ed Carpenter 40.4601 0.5206 0.0295 96 222.441 221.195 Chevy Ed Carpenter Racing
21 27 Alexander Rossi 40.4655 0.5260 0.0054 94 222.412 221.606 Honda Andretti Autosport
22 86 Juan Pablo Montoya 40.4705 0.5310 0.0050 73 222.384 216.672 Chevy Arrow McLaren SP
23 22 Simon Pagenaud 40.4741 0.5346 0.0036 42 222.364 221.659 Chevy Team Penske
24 4 Dalton Kellett 40.5540 0.6145 0.0799 71 221.926 219.371 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
25 25 Stefan Wilson 40.5763 0.6368 0.0223 102 221.804 220.545 Honda Andretti Autosport
26 15 Graham Rahal 40.5866 0.6471 0.0103 70 221.748 220.474 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
27 51 Pietro Fittipaldi 40.6134 0.6739 0.0268 71 221.602 220.288 Honda Dale Coyne Racing w/Rick Ware Racing
28 24 Sage Karam 40.6483 0.7088 0.0349 86 221.411 219.483 Chevy Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
29 11 Charlie Kimball 40.6778 0.7383 0.0295 57 221.251 217.905 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
30 1 JR Hildebrand 40.6922 0.7527 0.0144 62 221.173 217.433 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
31 16 Simona De Silvestro 40.7404 0.8009 0.0482 81 220.911 220.608 Chevy Paretta Autosport
32 29 James Hinchcliffe 40.7569 0.8174 0.0165 97 220.822 219.361 Honda Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport
33 59 Max Chilton 40.8183 0.8788 0.0614 61 220.489 219.620 Chevy Carlin
34 14 Sebastien Bourdais 40.9321 0.9926 0.1138 81 219.876 219.622 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
35 75 RC Enerson 41.3899 1.4504 0.4578 50 217.444 217.348 Chevy Top Gun Racing

 

 

Thursday Results Ranked by No-Tow Speeds