NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice ahead of the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge featured heavy traffic Monday, with 33 drivers completing 1,050 laps during approximately 35 minutes of green-flag running.

The busy 2.5-mile oval was a contrast from the previous four practice days last week, when many teams focused on qualifying simulations and spent limited time in traffic. With PPG Armed Forces Qualifying Weekend complete, attention shifted back to race setups.

Indianapolis 500 traffic

Josef Newgarden (photo, above, front right), a two-time winner of the race in 2023 and 2024, led the speed chart at 226.198 mph in the No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet. The fastest driver in Monday's practice has gone on to win the Indianapolis 500 the last two years – Newgarden in 2024 and Alex Palou in 2025.

2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay (photo, top) said his No. 31 PrizePicks Arrow McLaren Chevrolet entered the week behind after a series of mechanical setbacks. Electrical issues on Opening Day, a mechanical problem Thursday and a gearbox issue Fast Friday limited the team’s progress and contributed to his 22nd-place starting spot.

Still, Hunter-Reay said Monday’s abbreviated 1 hour, 18 minutes of practice during the scheduled two-hour session helped move the team closer to where it needed to be for Race Day.

“It was great we got it in, at least some of it,” Hunter-Reay said. “It was good to get into race running. We found some things that we needed to get us to Carb Day. Mother Nature helped us a bit to get some front grip into the car.

“We’re within the operating window that I need to be in when racing in traffic.”

The session included 43 minutes, 32 seconds of caution time, highlighted by the month’s first major crash. Alexander Rossi spun exiting Turn 2 and backed the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet for ECR into the SAFER Barrier.

Alexander Rossi

Pato O'Ward lost control of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet while attempting to avoid Rossi and collided with Rossi’s car (photo, above), causing heavy damage to both entries.

Romain Grosjean also spun and crashed the No. 18 askROI Honda for Dale Coyne Racing. O’Ward and Grosjean were checked and released from the infield care center, while Rossi was awake, alert and in good spirits when transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

“I’m OK,” O’Ward said. “I feel bad for my car. Wrong place, wrong time. I’m glad Alex is all right, Romain, as well.”

Rossi qualified second, O’Ward sixth and Grosjean 24th.

Kirkwood’s Pain Magnified by No Qualifying Points

Kyle Kirkwood will start Sunday’s race from the 25th position, but that’s only part of the suffering he incurred during last weekend’s PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying.

The other pain: Watching series-leading Alex Palou win the NTT P1 Award, which for the “500” means 12 extra points to his ledger in the season standings. Kirkwood earned none over the weekend.

“So, that one hurt a little bit,” the Andretti Global driver said Monday.

The series does not officially award points until the end of each event, which means Kirkwood’s deficit to Palou remains 27 points. But Kirkwood knows he actually trails the Spaniard by 39 points, and he has work to do on Race Day to keep the deficit from swelling even more.

“Quite honestly, I’m not focused on the championship points, but I see it in the aftermath,” Kirkwood said. “But we’re here to win (Indy). That’s the focus.”

Kirkwood is the only driver within 50 points of Palou, who is pursuing his record-tying fourth consecutive series championship and fifth in six years. Last year, the Spaniard won three of the races remaining on this year’s schedule, including Indy, and he finished second in three other races. Kirkwood won two of the other events last year that are still to come this year.

DRR Accepts Penalties on Harvey’s Car

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing owner Dennis Reinbold issued a statement Monday apologizing for Jack Harvey’s car failing post-qualifying technical inspection.

“(The team) did not intend to achieve a performance gain through the use of unapproved hardware,” Reinbold said. “The integrity of the sport is of the highest priority and utmost importance to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, our sponsors, partners and personnel.”

Reinbold said the team fully accepted the penalties set forth by the INDYCAR SERIES, which included having Harvey’s time disallowed. The car will start from the 33rd position on Race Day.

Odds and Ends

  • Conor Daly’s car was struck by debris from Monday’s multicar accident, but the damage to the right front area wasn’t enough to keep the car off track. Thus, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing decided to make good use of the remaining green-flag time by having Daly and the crew practice hot pit stops.
  • Rookie Dennis Hauger was late to the full-field photo on the Yard of Bricks, which took place 30 minutes before the green flag for Monday’s session. He admitted he simply forgot and said it was the first and last time he’d ever be late to an appointment.
  • Five of the top six drivers on Monday’s speed chart are past Indianapolis 500 winners. Hauger, who was third fastest in the No. 19 Only Bulls Honda for Dale Coyne Racing, was the lone exception. He won last season’s INDY NXT by Firestone championship.
  • Takuma Sato has a knack for being quick in the opening practice session of race week. Since 2022, he has finished in the top four in four of the last five years, including second Monday at 225.723 in the No. 75 AMADA Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Sato, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, starts 12th on Sunday.