Today’s schedule:
10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Public Gates Open
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Top 12 Qualifying Practice Peacock
12:30-1:30 p.m.: Last Chance Qualifying Practice
2-3 p.m.: Top 12 Qualifying
4-5 p.m.: Last Chance Qualifying Peacock
5:15-5:45 p.m.: Firestone Fast Six Qualifying NBC, Peacock
5:45 p.m.: NTT P1 Award Presentation NBC, Peacock
TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $20. Children 15 and under are admitted free with paying adult. Free entry for all military personnel with a valid military ID.
PUBLIC GATES OPEN (10 a.m.-6 p.m.): Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 3, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 9, Gate 10, and Gate 10A.
PARKING: Free parking is located in Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40), in the South Carousel Lot for motorcycle parking and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Lot and Lot 7 (North 40) for ADA parking. Paid parking is $20 in Gate 1 and $10 in Main Gate, Lot 2, Lot 3G and Lot 3P. Paid ADA parking is $20 in Gate 1 and $10 in Lot 2, Lot 3P and Lot 3G. Bicycle parking is located outside Gate 1, Gate 6 and Gate 9.
If you didn’t get enough drama yesterday, there is more on the way this afternoon. The race for the pole iws going to be very close, but the real tension inolves the runs for the last row.
Three drivers from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and one driver rfrom Dale Coyne Racing, will battle for the final three spot. Graham Rahal, Christian Lungarard, and Jack Harvey will go against rookie Sting Ray Robb for a spot on row 11.
Rahal was the slowest car yesterday by a significant amount. Robb, a rookie, has the disadvanbtage of inexperience. My pick for missing the race is Graham Rahal. based on the entire week of practice, Rahal has ben consistently behind. I don’t see speed magically appearing today.
Robb’s teammate, david Malukas, found enough speed to get the 23rd starting spot late in the day. I think what the team learned from the 18 car will transfer to the 51 and put him in the field.
The pole is a different story. I enjoyed the battle between Chevy and Honda for the front row yesterday. I think we will see iot again. I am going with Alexander rossi for the pole, with teammate Felix Rosenqvist and Scott Dixon nipping closely at his heels.
Abel Motorsports
A story that was drowned out by the rama at Rahal was Abel Motorsports and driver R C Enerson making the field in the 28th spot. The team came together ;ate, and Saturday was their fourth day on track. Enersonhasn’t driven since 2021. It was easy to dismissw them as the team that would go home.
I had a sense Thursday that this team would make the field. It is great to see a small operation like this come rogether and get in the race. We used to see similar stories in the 60s.
Abel’s Indy NXT experience was helpful in making this possible. I hope they have a good race.
Notes
Some milestones from yesterday:
84 quaklification attempts set a single day record for a qualifying day.
Katherine Legge is now the fastest female driver in Speedway history.
Felix Rosenqvist had the third fastestqualifying time ever.
Agustin Canapino is the fastest rookie qualifier in history.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 