Alex Palou saved his best for last to take pole for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
In a stout Fast Six, Palou throttled to four smooth laps to set an average of 232.248mph in the #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda and take the top spot. It is Palou’s second Indy 500 pole, with his last coming in 2023. He became the first defending race winner to win pole the following year since Helio Castroneves in 2010.
Rossi’s Strong Showing
Alexander Rossi was the first to go out in the Fast Six. The track temperature fell to 100F, compared to 111F during the Fast 12 round.
He hit a stout opening lap of 232.568mph in the #20 ECR Chevrolet, and backed it up with a 232.038mph on his second lap. On the edge over the next two laps, he hit a four-lap average of 231.990mph to set the benchmark.
O’Ward Struggles, Ferrucci Consistent
Pato O’Ward went out second. He ended up on the back foot on his opening lap with a big lift in Turn 3 before reaching 230.108mph.
Even with going faster on his next three laps, it wasn’t enough as he ended with a four-lap average of 230.509mph.
Santino Ferrucci was the third driver out on track. He pushed his #14 Chevrolet to a four-lap average of 230.846mph.
Malukas and Rosenqvist Round Out the Fast Six
David Malukas managed a 231.728mph on his first lap. He went even faster with a 231.937mph on Lap 2 before a third lap at 231.769mph.
After a fourth lap of 232.073mph, it set his average at 231.877mph and just shy of Rossi’s mark.
Felix Rosenqvist was the last driver of the six to go out and hit a 231.765mph first lap. He slid the wrong direction after a 231.374mph second lap, with a third circuit at 231.219mph. In the end, a fourth lap of 231.144mph made his average at 231.375mph to slot fourth.
Final Fast Six Order
The finishing order of the Fast Six was led by Palou, followed by Rossi, Malukas, Rosenqvist, Ferrucci, and O’Ward.
Simpson’s Run
Kyffin Simpson was the first to go out due to inverting the order in which drivers qualified in the opening three-hour session that set the Fast 12 and locked in positions 13-33. He rolled around the 2.5-mile superspeedway, which sported a blistering 111F track temperature, to a four-lap average of 230.883mph in the #8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Palou was the next driver to go out.