Rain

IndyCar News: Dixon tops Day 1 Indy 500 Practice before rain hits (Update)

Persistent rain curtailed the opening day of practice May 14 for the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as the 2.5-mile oval was open for just 23 minutes, until 9:26 a.m. ET. Showers intensified during the afternoon, preventing any more laps so the times shown below stand.

Speeds were impressive despite the brief session. Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon led at 229.107 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. 2020 “500” pole sitter Marco Andretti was second at 228.399 in the No. 98 MAPEI/Curb Honda fielded by Andretti Herta w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian. Both Dixon and Andretti benefited from aerodynamic tows as morning traffic was brisk while teams eyed the leaden skies.

Scott Dixon - Indianapolis 500 Practice - By_ Walt Kuhn
Fastest – Scott Dixon – Indianapolis 500 Practice – By_ Walt Kuhn

Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato was third at 225.551 in the No. 75 AMADA Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Pato O’Ward was fourth – and the fastest Chevrolet-powered driver – at 224.993 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Christian Lundgaard ended up fifth at 223.844 in the No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda, as Rahal Letterman Lanigan was the only team with multiple cars in the top five.

Just 219 total laps were turned before the rain arrived, with 29 of the 34 entries on track and no driver exceeding 13 laps.

2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson managed just two laps in the No. 17 Hendrickcars.com Arrow McLaren Chevrolet before the rain. Larson, racing for Arrow McLaren/Rick Hendrick, is attempting to become the fifth driver to complete the “double” of racing in the Indianapolis 500 and the NASCAR Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day. Kurt Busch was the last 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 is 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. ET Wednesday. PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying is this Saturday and Sunday, with Race Day on Sunday, May 26.


May 14, 2024 

Rain arrived at Indianapolis Motor Speedway just 26 minutes into the opening practice this morning for the 108th Indy 500 presented by Gainbridge, putting the session on hold.

The light showers are continuing, but track drying efforts will resume when the rain stops.

Twenty-nine of the 34 drivers in the field turned laps on the 2.5-mile oval before the rain, with six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon atop the Scoring Pylon with a speed of 229.107 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Scott Dixon - Indianapolis 500 Practice - By_ Walt Kuhn
Fastest – Scott Dixon – Indianapolis 500 Practice – By_ Walt Kuhn

2020 “Indy 500” pole sitter Marco Andretti was second at 228.399 in the No. 98 MAPEI/Curb Honda fielded by Andretti Herta w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian.

2nd quick – Marco Andretti – Indy 500 Practice – By_ Walt Kuhn

Day 1 Results

Pos No Name Time Diff Gap FL Laps Speed Engine Team
1 9 Scott Dixon 39.2829 0.000s 0.000s 7 9 229.107 Honda Chip Ganassi Racing
2 98 Marco Andretti 39.4047 0.1218 0.1218 9 12 228.399 Honda Andretti
3 75 Takuma Sato 39.9023 0.6194 0.4976 5 6 225.551 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
4 5 Pato O’Ward 40.0012 0.7183 0.0989 7 11 224.993 Chevy Arrow McLaren
5 45 Christian Lundgaard 40.2066 0.9237 0.2054 7 7 223.844 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
6 06 Helio Castroneves 40.2381 0.9552 0.0315 5 10 223.669 Honda Meyer Shank Racing
7 26 Colton Herta 40.3436 1.0607 0.1055 5 7 223.084 Honda Andretti Autosport w/Curb‑Agajanian
8 60 Felix Rosenqvist 40.5092 1.2263 0.1656 9 13 222.172 Honda Meyer Shank Racing
9 27 Kyle Kirkwood 40.5523 1.2694 0.0431 8 13 221.936 Honda Andretti Autosport
10 41 Sting Ray Robb 40.5658 1.2829 0.0135 4 5 221.862 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
11 6 Callum Ilott 40.5786 1.2957 0.0128 10 10 221.792 Chevy Arrow McLaren
12 28 Marcus Ericsson 40.5812 1.2983 0.0026 11 12 221.778 Honda Andretti Autosport
13 23 Ryan Hunter‑Reay 40.5954 1.3125 0.0142 5 9 221.700 Chevy Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
14 77 Romain Grosjean 40.7059 1.4230 0.1105 7 8 221.098 Chevy Juncos Hollinger Racing
15 24 Conor Daly 40.7455 1.4626 0.0396 5 8 220.883 Chevy Dreyer Reinbold Racing
16 20 Ed Carpenter 40.7464 1.4635 0.0009 5 7 220.878 Chevy Ed Carpenter Racing
17 66 Tom Blomqvist 40.7504 1.4675 0.0040 6 12 220.857 Honda Meyer Shank Racing
18 3 Scott McLaughlin 40.8530 1.5701 0.1026 10 13 220.302 Chevy Team Penske
19 7 Alexander Rossi 40.8861 1.6032 0.0331 5 5 220.124 Chevy Arrow McLaren
20 78 Agustin Canapino 41.1312 1.8483 0.2451 5 7 218.812 Chevy Juncos Hollinger Racing
21 33 Christian Rasmussen 41.2309 1.9480 0.0997 4 4 218.283 Chevy Ed Carpenter Racing
22 18 Nolan Siegel 41.2913 2.0084 0.0604 10 11 217.964 Honda Dale Coyne Racing
23 14 Santino Ferrucci 41.3458 2.0629 0.0545 3 3 217.676 Chevy AJ Foyt Enterprises
24 15 Graham Rahal 41.5175 2.2346 0.1717 6 6 216.776 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
25 30 Pietro Fittipaldi 41.6402 2.3573 0.1227 4 4 216.137 Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
26 21 Rinus VeeKay 42.0443 2.7614 0.4041 3 3 214.060 Chevy Ed Carpenter Racing
27 17 Kyle Larson 1:00.0523 20.7694 18.0080 2 2 149.869 Chevy Arrow McLaren
28 2 Josef Newgarden 1:15.1617 35.8788 15.1094 1 1 119.742 Chevy Team Penske
29 12 Will Power 1:15.5262 36.2433 0.3645 1 1 119.164 Chevy Team Penske
30 51 Katherine Legge No Time ‑‑‑ ‑‑‑ ‑‑ ‑‑‑ ‑‑‑ Honda Dale Coyne Racing
31 10 Alex Palou No Time ‑‑‑ ‑‑‑ ‑‑ ‑‑‑ ‑‑‑ Honda Chip Ganassi Racing