INDIANAPOLIS — Alex Palou will lead the sphere to inexperienced within the Indianapolis 500 after the younger Spaniard put collectively the quickest four-lap pole run in historical past Sunday, edging Rinus VeeKay and Felix Rosenqvist to provide Chip Ganassi Racing its third consecutive pole in “The Biggest Spectacle in Racing.”

Palou, who gained on the highway course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway final weekend, whipped 4 laps across the historic 2.5-mile speedway at a mean of 234.217 mph. That was a mere 0.007 mph quicker than VeeKay, who nonetheless gave Ed Carpenter Racing a front-row beginning spot for the ninth time within the final 11 years.

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“It means the world to me now, to the boys, to all people,” stated Palou, who is probably going transferring to Arrow McLaren subsequent yr.

He roared when Rosenqvist missed out on the pole for Arrow McLaren within the final run of the day.

“I am simply tremendous blissful,” Palou stated.

Palou surpassed the file pole run of 234.046 mph that Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon put up final yr. It additionally was the second-fastest qualifying effort, trailing solely Arie Luyendyk’s 236.986, which he set the day after pole qualifying in 1996.

“He did precisely what he wanted to do. He’ll be the primary to inform you it was a complete crew effort,” stated Ganassi, who put a automotive on the pole on the Indy 500 for the eighth time. “We’ll sail into the five hundred beginning on the pole. We’re fairly excited.”

Palou was assured he had a quick automotive, though Rosenqvist was quickest in the course of the Quick 12 efforts earlier within the day.

“Now we have to go quick. Are you able to go actually quick?” crew supervisor Barry Wanser requested Palou over the radio, because the 26-year-old headed off pit highway beneath sunny skies and earlier than an enormous crowd lining the outdated speedway. “Let’s get it accomplished.”

He did, and his rivals had been left searching for extra.

“I obtained all the things out of it. Want I had just a bit extra,” VeeKay stated. “It is so shut, and the factor actually had a shot for the pole place, but additionally, I am a bit spoiled to say that. That is solely the begin to the race. Pleased with the crew, pleased with the entire crew.”

Santino Ferrucci certified fourth, on the within of Row 2 for underdog A.J. Foyt Racing, which has turned heads all week. Rookie Foyt driver Benjamin Pedersen additionally made the Quick 12 and can begin in eleventh for the Could 28 race.

Pato O’Ward will begin alongside Ferrucci with Dixon, who was going for a file third straight pole, qualifying sixth.

Alexander Rossi was the quickest of people who didn’t make the Quick Six, placing him seventh on the grid. He’ll be on the within of Row 3 together with Takuma Sato and Tony Kanaan, who will begin ninth in what he says is his last Indy 500.

The others that didn’t advance to the pole shootout had been defending Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, who will begin tenth for the robust Ganassi contingent, Pedersen and Will Energy, the lone Group Penske driver to make the Quick 12 from Saturday’s qualifying runs.

“All weekend we have been struggling to do 4 laps. It has been a problem just about daily,” Ericsson stated. “This morning we did three fairly good laps [in practice] and had a second. I did keep flat out for 4 laps, however simply had an excessive amount of sliding.”

VeeKay had his personal second throughout follow when smoke got here out of the again of the No. 21 automotive. The engineers from his Ed Carpenter Racing crew decided it was a failed header, and that no harm was accomplished to the engine. They felt assured sending him onto the nice and cozy, sun-splashed observe for the hour-long qualifying session.

“This morning was a bit robust. A bit robust. We had some points,” VeeKay stated, “however the 21 crew, they gave me their A-game. We even had time to spare. The engine felt nice. The automotive felt nice. All I needed to do was keep flat-out for 4 laps.”

That is what Ferrucci did, too, because the Foyt crew has develop into the feel-good story of Gasoline Alley. A.J. Foyt misplaced his spouse of 68 years, Lucy, final month, and the 88-year-old Foyt thought of skipping out on Could in Indianapolis, the place he is considered one of 4 four-time winners of the race.

Foyt determined to come back, although, and has been handled to a number of the quickest laps across the observe by his personal crew. He watched each qualifying classes inside a closed storage and requested that every one interview requests be held till the top of the day.

However when Ferrucci returned to the storage to see Foyt after his qualifying run, he was adopted by an entourage of well-wishers that included former Indianapolis Motor Speedway proprietor Tony George and Jim Campbell, head of Chevrolet’s racing program.

“That is the quickest I’ve ever been for 4 laps,” stated Ferrucci, who practically clipped the wall on his first lap in the course of the Quick 12, moments after his crew advised him over the radio: “Keep in mind we’ve got to race this factor. Let’s not do something dumb.”

Foyt automobiles had not superior into the qualifying shootout rounds for the Indy 500 because the format was launched in 2010.

Foyt himself gained 4 Indianapolis 500 poles — all whereas he was the crew proprietor. He is the primary driver to ever win 4 Indy 500s, a membership that solely added its fourth member in 2021 when Helio Castroneves gained his fourth.

He was fast to level out after Ferrucci wound up fourth that Foyt himself had by no means gained the five hundred from the entrance row, however twice did it from fourth and each had been his last two Indy 500 victories.