May 15 practice results || Combined practice results || Qualifying times, info
Forty-five minutes into the "Fast Friday" practice on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval, Scott Dixon in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet recorded the fastest lap of the month at 230.643 mph as drivers and teams prepare for Indianapolis 500 Mile Race qualifications May 16-17.
With 30 minutes left in the session, Team Penske's Simon Pagenaud reset the fast lap at 230.698 mph.
Last May, only one car surpassed 230 mph on Fast Friday. Soon after Dixon's lap, teammates Tony Kanaan and Sage Karam topped 230 mph, along with Andretti Autosport's Marco Andretti. With an hour left in the session, Will Power of Team Penske busted a lap better than 230 mph.
The boost level has been increased from 130 kPa to 140 kPa for practice and qualifications. The change in pressure adds about a 40 horsepower boost to the Chevrolet and Honda 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engines. The boost level will return to 130 kPa for final practice on Coors Light Carb Day on May 22 and the 500 Mile Race on May 24.
Thirty-four cars recorded laps, including the No. 21 Century 21 CFH Racing Chevrolet of Josef Newgarden that was involved in a single-car incident with 40 minutes left in practice May 14. The back-up chassis was wheeled into the garage and the engine was installed and fired later that evening. He returned to the track at 12:59 p.m. and posted a best lap of 227.855 mph.
The No. 63 Dale Coyne Racing Honda driven by Pippa Mann also returned to the track late in the six-hour session and turned six laps with a best of 225.457 mph. The crew was rebuilding the car around a back-up chassis after Mann was involved in an incident in practice May 13.
Qualifications run from 11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. (ET) May 16. Watch on ABC from 4-6 p.m. On May 17, starting positions 10-30 will be determined from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (ET). Positions 31-33 will be determined from 12:45-1:30 p.m. and the Fast Nine Shootout from 2-2:45 p.m. will determine the Verizon P1 Award winner and set the first three rows for the May 24 race.
Real-time Timing & Scoring is available both days on RaceControl.indycar.com.
In 2014, Ed Carpenter earned the Verizon P1 Award in the Fast Nine Shootout with a four-lap average speed of 231.076 mph. It was the second consecutive year that Carpenter started from the pole (11th time it’s happened). He’ll be seeking to become the first to earn the pole in three consecutive years. Twenty drivers have won from the pole – most recently Helio Castroneves in 2009.