(Second-day qualifications for the 101st Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil have been completed. Read through the fast-paced action of the day, with Fast Nine results at the bottom.)
Following a brief delay for track drying after morning showers, final practice and preparations got underway for Day 2 of qualifications for the 101st Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil at 12:30 p.m. ET. The cars slated to qualify in Group 1 ran from 12:30-1:05 p.m. and those in the Fast Nine Shootout ran from 1:30-2:05. Day 2 qualifications are underway, where each car gets one attempt to determine the starting order for next Sunday's race. Drivers will qualify in reverse order of Saturday's qualifications, with AJ Foyt Racing's Zach Veach the first to qualify, and Ed Jones to finish Group 1 qualifications, which determines starters 10-33 for the "500." Fast Nine Shootout qualifications begin at 5 p.m. with Marco Andretti making his second qualification attempt of the weekend, and Saturday's fastest qualifier Ed Carpenter making the last run of the day as Saturday's nine fastest drivers will battle it out for the Verizon P1 Award.
Bourdais medical update
INDYCAR announced this morning that Verizon IndyCar Series driver Sebastien Bourdais underwent successful surgery Saturday night for pelvic injuries he sustained while attempting to qualify Saturday for the Indianapolis 500. The Dale Coyne Racing driver sustained multiple fractures to his pelvis and a fracture to his right hip in the incident.
“Surgery went well,” INDYCAR Medical Director Dr. Geoffrey Billows said. “I’ve met with Sebastien this morning and he was doing even better than I expected.”
Additional updates on Bourdais' condition will be released when available.
Jones leads Group 1 practice
In absence of his veteran teammate, Dale Coyne Racing’s Ed Jones (No. 19 Boy Scouts of America Honda) led Group 1 practice on the famed 2.5-mile oval, with a fast lap of 233.008 mph. Jones was the 10th-fastest qualifier Saturday at 229.717 mph, just missing the Fast Nine Shootout. He will be the final qualifier in Group 1 later today.
The Dubai-based rookie was followed by Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 28 DHL Andretti Autosport Honda, 232.458 mph) and Graham Rahal (No. 15 Steak ‘n Shake Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda, 231.733 mph) on the speed charts. Rahal’s fast lap was posted without the aid of a tow. Hunter-Reay’s fastest no-tow lap was nearly identical at 231.732 mph.
James Davison to replace Bourdais
Dale Coyne Racing announced that Australian driver James Davison will replace Bourdais in the No. 18 GEICO Honda for next Sunday's race, making his fifth Indy car start and third in the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. Davison last raced an Indy car with Coyne at the "500" in 2015, and has made all but one of his previous starts with the Illinois-based team.
“My thoughts are with Sebastien and (wife) Claire Bourdais,” said Davison, whose Verizon IndyCar Series debut came with Dale Coyne Racing in 2013 races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Sonoma Raceway. “This is never the circumstance that a driver wants to secure an opportunity to drive in the Indianapolis 500. With that said, I’m extremely excited and ready to take on this challenge. The prime goal will be to secure a strong result for the team, Sebastien and all our sponsors. I can’t wait to get started.”
The Australian driver will get his first chance on track on Monday when the track opens to the 33-car field for practice from 12:30 - 4 p.m. ET, followed by an hour-long session on Friday's Miller Lite Carb Day. Based on Rules 8.1.10.2.b and 8.1.10.2.c of the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series Rule Book, Davison's race starting position will be at the rear of the 33-car field, along with any other cars that do not complete a qualifying attempt today in Group 1, based on entrant points.
Alonso fastest in Fast Nine practice
McLaren-Andretti-Honda driver Fernando Alonso (No. 29 Honda) posted the fastest lap of the 35-minute session allotted to Fast Nine participants from 1:30 - 2:05 p.m. Alonso's lap of 231.317 mph was run without a tow, and was followed by Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, 230.981 mph) and Marco Andretti (No. 27 United Fiber & Data Andretti Autosport Honda, 230.796 mph).
Yesterday's fastest qualifier, Ed Carpenter (No. 20 Fuzzy's Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet) and teammate JR Hildebrand (No. 21 Preferred Freezer Chevrolet) elected not to run in the session, and will see their first laps of the day when they qualify later on.
Alonso changes engine ahead of Fast Nine
Following the early afternoon practice session, McLaren-Honda-Andretti elected to change the engine in Fernando Alonso's No. 29 Honda before the Fast Nine Shootout later this afternoon.
"We saw something we didn’t like or Honda saw something they didn’t like on the vitals with the engine (during the practice session)," said Rob Edwards, COO of Andretti Autosport. "Obviously it’s important to have a good, safe run, so in view of that we decided that the smart thing to do was to go ahead and change it."
Despite the change, Edwards remained optimistic that the two-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion can challenge for the Verizon P1 Award today.
“He’d run quick (in practice) and hopefully we can reproduce that when we go back out," he said.
Veach leads off Day 2 qualifications
Beginning the day's qualifications, AJ Foyt Racing's Zach Veach (No. 40 Indy Women in Tech Championship Chevrolet) officially qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 with a four-lap average of 221.081 mph.
Pippa Mann (No. 63 Susan G. Komen Dale Coyne Racing Honda) followed Veach, qualifying at 225.008 mph.
Buddy Lazier (No. 44 Lazier Racing-Stalk It-Tivoli Lodge Chevrolet) completed a consistent four-lap run with an average of 223.417 mph.
Juncos Racing's Spencer Pigot improved on his Saturday speed, posting a four-lap average of 224.052 mph in the No. 11 Juncos Racing Chevrolet.
Pigot's teammate, Sebastian Saavedra, followed up by posting a four-lap average of 224.142 mph in the No. 17 Juncos-AFS Racing Chevrolet.
AJ Foyt Racing's Conor Daly (No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolet) posted the fastest four-lap average of the day on his run, with an average of 226.439 mph.
2015 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Gabby Chaves (No. 88 Harding Racing Chevrolet) then bested Daly with his run, a four-lap average of 226.921 mph.
Michael Shank Racing with Andretti Autosport's Jack Harvey (No. 50 Honda) brushed the Turn 2 SAFER barrier on the second lap of his run, but turned in a four-lap average of 225.742 mph.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Oriol Servia (No. 16 Manitowoc Honda) backed up his speed in practice by posting the fastest run of the day at 230.309 mph.
Carlos Munoz (No. 14 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) has two runner-up finishes in the "500", and posted a solid four-lap qualifying effort of 227.921 mph.
Jay Howard completed an issue-free qualifying run, pacing the No. 77 Lucas Oil/Team One Cure Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda at 229.414 mph.
Fourth-year qualifier Sage Karam (No. 24 Mecum Auctions Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet) improved his speed from Saturday by over one mile per hour with a four-lap average of 229.380 mph.
Defending series champion Simon Pagenaud was a surprise to miss the Fast Nine, and will start from the middle of the pack after posting a four-lap average of 228.093 mph.
Last year's Indy 500 pole sitter James Hinchcliffe (No. 5 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda) will not repeat 2016's effort, but posted a four-lap average of 229.860 mph to solidify him in the 2017 field.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 22 Fitzgerald Glider Kits Team Penske Chevrolet) qualified for his fifth Indianapolis 500 on Saturday, and completed an issue-free run on Sunday of 229.565 mph.
Team Penske's Josef Newgarden (No. 2 hum by Verizon Chevrolet) took to the track after a track inspection, and posted a four-lap average of 228.501 mph for his sixth Indianapolis 500 start.
Servia's teammate, Graham Rahal (No. 15 Steak 'n Shake Honda) nearly beat the Spaniard on his four-lap run, coming up just shy of the fastest run of the day with a four-lap average of 230.253 mph.
Hinchcliffe's teammate, Mikhail Aleshin (No. 7 SMP Racing Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda) beat out Graham Rahal by less than a tenth of a second over four laps, with a qualifying average of 230.271 mph.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves (No. 3 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet) will not challenge for his fifth Indy 500 pole, but the Brazilian completed his Sunday run without issue to the tune of 229.515 mph.
Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 28 DHL Andretti Autosport Honda) backed up his pace from the earlier practice session, posting the fastest four-lap average of the weekend at 231.442 mph.
Chip Ganassi Racing's Max Chilton (No. 8 Gallagher Honda) gained speed in his four-lap run as well, turning in a qualifying average of 230.068 mph.
Chilton's teammate, Charlie Kimball (No. 83 Tresiba Honda) followed the Brit on course, posting an issue-free four-lap average of 229.956 mph.
As the final Group 1 qualifier, Dale Coyne Racing's Ed Jones (No. 19 Boy Scouts of America Honda) was quickest in practice earlier in the afternoon with a tow, but was not able to top Hunter-Reay's qualifying run, as the rookie completed his run at an average of 230.578 mph.
At the conclusion of Group 1 of Day 2 qualifications, the drivers who will make up Row 4 next Sunday are as follows:
10) Ryan Hunter-Reay - 231.442 mph
11) Ed Jones - 230.578 mph
12) Oriol Servia - 230.309 mph
Andretti begins Fast Nine Shootout
With the battle for the Verizon P1 Award underway, yesterday's fastest nine drivers will duke it out for the honors of pole position for the 101st Indianapolis 500.
Andretti Autosport's Marco Andretti (No. 27 United Fiber & Data Honda) kicked off the session, posting a four-lap average of 230.474 mph.
Chip Ganassi Racing's Tony Kanaan (No. 10 NTT Data Honda) was second to take to the track, and put up big numbers immediately. The 2004 Indy car champion and 2013 Indy 500 winner posted a four-lap average of 230.828 mph.
Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso (No. 29 McLaren-Honda-Andretti Honda) has taken to IndyCar like a duck to water, and looked the part on his Fast Nine run. The Spaniard turned in a four-lap average of 231.300 mph the fastest of the Fast Nine thus far.
Team Penske's Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet) gave his best effort to score his fourth Verizon P1 Award of 2017, but could only muster a four-lap average of 230.200 mph.
Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi (No. 98 NAPA Andretti Herta Autosport Honda) was the next to take a crack Alonso's top time, and the California product was able to pull it off with a four-lap average of 231.487 mph, provisionally placing Rossi on pole.
Fellow Californian JR Hildebrand (No. 21 Preferred Freezer Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet) followed Rossi, where the 2011 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year completed his four-lap run with an average of 230.889 mph.
Four-time series champion Scott Dixon (No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) claimed the pole in 2015, and the Kiwi put together a run for the generation at 232.164 mph, the fastest single and four-lap qualifying effort at Indianapolis since Arie Luyendyk in 1996.
Dixon's speed was well quicker than anyone had seen all month, but Andretti Autosport's Takuma Sato (No. 26 Honda) gave a valiant challenge, and despite clipping the Turn 2 SAFER barrier, posted a four-lap average of 231.365 mph.
Like in 2013 and 2014, Ed Carpenter (No. 20 Fuzzy's Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet) was the last qualifier of the day and had the final say on who would win the Verizon P1 Award. But his effort came just short at 231.664 mph, good enough for the middle of Row 1.
The pole is the 26th of Dixon's career, breaking a tie with Paul Tracy for 11th on the all-time list, and is his third at the Indianapolis 500.
The first three rows for Sunday's Indianapolis 500 will roll off as follows:
Row 1
1) Scott Dixon - 232.164 mph
2) Ed Carpenter - 231.664 mph
3) Alexander Rossi - 231.487 mph
Row 2
4) Takuma Sato - 231.365 mph
5) Fernando Alonso - 231.300 mph
6) JR Hildebrand - 230.889 mph
Row 3
7) Tony Kanaan - 230.828 mph
8) Marco Andretti - 230.474 mph
9) Will Power - 230.200 mph
The 33-car field returns to the 2.5-mile oval Monday afternoon with practice from 12:30 - 4 p.m. ET. Coverage of Miller Lite Carb Day activities can be found on Friday May 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on NBCSN, which includes final Indy 500 practice and the TAG Heuer Pit Stop Competition.
Coverage of the 101st Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil begins Sunday May 28 at 11 a.m. on ABC, where Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon will lead the field to the green flag of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Live timing and scoring of all on-track sessions is also available at RaceControl.IndyCar.com