INDIANAPOLIS — He’s starting 23rd in the field of 33 drivers, but it’s hard to blame Josef Newgarden for being eager for Race Day for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday.
Two-time 500 winner Newgarden led the final practice Friday for The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, turning a top lap of 228.342 mph in the No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet. Newgarden also led the rain-shortened post-qualifying practice Monday at 226.198.
“It feels OK, feels all right,” two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Newgarden said of his car. “But today is Friday. We’ve got to be good on Sunday.
“I’m just ready to get to Sunday. Sunday is what’s going to matter with the Shell car. Team Chevy has done a great job for us this month, so I’m excited to go racing.”
The last time a driver won the Indy 500 from a starting position of 23rd or lower was in 1974, when Johnny Rutherford started 25th and earned the first of his three 500 victories.
Christian Rasmussen was second today with his best lap of 227.474 in the No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing. David Malukas matched his starting position by ending up third at 226.565 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.
Indiana native Conor Daly continued to show consistent speed by clocking in fourth at 226.341 in the No. 23 DRR KINGSPAN ARCO Chevrolet of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Two-time 500 winner Takuma Sato rounded out the top five at 226.244 in the No. 75 Amada Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Pole sitter and reigning 500 winner Alex Palou was sixth at 225.986 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Four-time and reigning NTT IndyCar Series champion Palou is trying to become just the seventh driver to win The Greatest Spectacle in Racing in consecutive years.
Dennis Hauger was the fastest of the four rookies on the 2.5-mile oval, 10th at 225.187 in the No. 19 Only Bulls Honda of Dale Coyne Racing.
2016 500 winner Alexander Rossi was back in his No. 20 Java House Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing after suffering injuries to a finger on his left hand and right ankle that required outpatient minor surgery due to a hard crash in practice Monday. Rossi, who is starting a 500 career-best second, was 31st today at 222.291 mph.
All 33 drivers combined to turn 2,169 laps in the two-hour final session, which featured just one caution period for a loose right-rear wheel that forced 2022 500 winner Marcus Ericsson to slow on course in the No. 28 Phoenix Investors Honda of Andretti Global.
Six-time series champion and 2008 500 winner Scott Dixon was the busiest driver, turning 96 laps in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.