Energy was the ninth of 34 drivers to exit on monitor vying to make the sector of 33 and commenced his march with an electrifying 234.030mph opening lap.
By the point he accomplished all 4 of his laps across the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he rolled to a mean pace of 233.758mph to take the highest spot. “I would not have trimmed any greater than that,” mentioned Energy, the 2018 Indy 500 winner.
Scott McLaughlin furthered Penske’s stranglehold on the sharp finish of the sector after a 233.332mph four-lap common was sufficient to safe second, forward of team-mate and defending Indy 500 champion Josef Newgarden in third (233.293mph four-lap common).
Arrow McLaren endured a rollercoaster day however ended on a excessive observe with Alexander Rossi dropping a stellar four-lap effort of 233.069mph to fit fourth – regardless of the monitor temperature exceeding 120F (after the morning noticed it begin at 95F) with 70 minutes remaining within the session.
Andretti International’s Kyle Kirkwood, who went out first on the day, delivered a mixed tempo at 232.764mph to carry because the quickest Honda-powered automotive in fifth.
Following a problem that led to aborting his preliminary run, Kyle Larson rebounded within the No. 17 Arrow McLaren-Rick Hendrick Chevrolet with a 232.563mph four-lap common to finish up sixth.
Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist vaulted to a 232.547mph run in seventh, forward of AJ Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci (232.496mph) in eighth.
Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato put his No. 75 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda in ninth after a 232.473mph effort.
After early struggles, Pato O’Ward made a late surge on his third try with roughly an hour and alter remaining to place his No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in tenth, with a 232.434mph four-lap run.
“It felt good,” O’Ward mentioned. “Clearly, it is the most effective run that we have had all day.
“The one earlier to this, we discovered a problem fairly shortly as quickly as we began the run. Hats off to the fellows that we went again and made the modifications that we would have liked to, cooled all the pieces off to get again out.”
Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Photograph by: Peacock TV
After crashing on the opening lap of his maiden try within the morning, Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay pulled off a dramatic run within the remaining seconds to drag off a sensational 232.419mph in his rebuilt automotive to seize eleventh.
“We had hopes and that is what brings you there,” VeeKay mentioned. “Wow! What an effort from the fellows. Unbelievable.
“I simply had to ensure I preserve it alive, get it over the road. I’m undecided what a pole looks like, however this feels approach higher.”
The ultimate switch spot of the highest 12 was occupied by 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, who delivered a run within the remaining hour and rolled to a 232.385mph four-lap effort within the No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Chevrolet.
The primary driver on the surface trying in and now locked into the beginning spot of thirteenth was Colton Herta, who was bumped out by VeeKay’s late surge. Herta’s No. 26 Andretti International Honda logged 232.316mph four-lap run.
Reigning and two-time IndyCar Collection champion Alex Palou, who was final yr’s pole-sitter for final yr’s version of ‘The Best Spectacle in Racing’ ended up thirteenth and unable to make a final run to interrupt in as he was in line to exit as time expired.
The group of drivers that will likely be left battling to make the sector for the final row consists of 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson (Andretti International), Katherine Legge (Dale Coyne Racing), rookie Nolan Siegel (Dale Coyne Racing) and – for the second yr in a row – Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing).
“It is robust, for certain,” Ericsson mentioned. “You recognize, this place has very excessive highs and really low lows and I believe in the present day was a type of, however I can solely blame myself.
“I put ourselves on this place with my crash and the staff has been wonderful rebuilding and a brand new automotive and dealing so arduous all day to get me out for brand new runs. However it’s very robust.”
Of observe, there have been engine-related points that occurred and interrupted the promising late runs of a number of drivers, together with Conor Daly (Dale Coyne Racing Chevrolet), rookie Christian Rasmussen (Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet) and Agustin Canapino (Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet), amongst others.