INDIANAPOLIS — Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing – two of the most storied teams in NTT IndyCar Series history — dominated the opening day of practice for the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Tuesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Will Power, the 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner, led a Team Penske 1-2 on the speed charts in a weather-shortened session at 227.026 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, a hot lap in the last 30 minutes of practice.
Two-time defending 500 winner Josef Newgarden was second at 226.971 in the No. 2 Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Team Penske Chevrolet. Newgarden is trying to become the first driver to win The Greatest Spectacle in Racing three consecutive years.
Practice started two hours, 32 minutes late due to intermittent rain and damp track conditions, and the session ended 32 minutes early due to lightning strikes within the vicinity of the historic 2.5-mile oval.
“I think we’ve got a pretty good baseline,” Power said. “My teammates are pretty good. I learned a thing or two off them. It’s (Indianapolis 500) almost its own championship in itself. You’ve got to look for your weaknesses and improve.”
Dominant NTT IndyCar Series points leader Alex Palou was the fastest of the Ganassi stable, third at 226.673 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Three-time series champion Palou has won four of the first five races this season, including the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday on the IMS road course, as he aims to earn his first Indianapolis 500 victory and his third consecutive season title.
Six-time series champion and 2008 500 winner Scott Dixon was fourth at 225.059 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. 2024 “500” pole winner Scott McLaughlin was the third Team Penske driver in the top five with his best lap of 225.005 in the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet.
Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves was fastest among drivers from other teams, sixth at 224.523 in the No. 06 Cliffs Honda fielded by Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian.
The 34 drivers attempting to earn one of the 33 spots in the starting field turned 1,549 laps (3,872.5 miles) in the shortened session today.
On-track activity will resume at 10 a.m. Wednesday with a refresher test for 2013 “500” winner and Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan, who is readying to be a standby driver for Kyle Larson on Race Day.
Larson is attempting the “double” of racing in the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 25. Kanaan will step in for Larson if weather delays the start in Indianapolis and Larson must leave for Charlotte for his full-time drive with Hendrick Motorsports.
