Scott Dixon leads the charge from pole position for Chip Ganassi Racing at the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500, and the 2008 winner will have plenty of familiar company around him as Ganassi race cars will also start second (Alex Palou), fifth (Marcus Ericsson), Tony Kanaan (sixth) and Jimmie Johnson (12th).
In the previous 105 events, only 21 times has the driver who started first also finished first, including Dixon in 2008, his only Indy 500 victory. The last driver to do it was Simon Pagenaud in 2019.
Judging from Friday’s Carb Day session, the Ganassi cars will be the ones to beat as it was Kanaan’s turn to lead the timing sheets at 227.114 mph. Ericsson and Dixon were second and fourth quick with the Dale Coyne Racing car of two-time winner Takuma Sato splitting them.
Rinus VeeKay, who started third, was running second when he brought out the first full-course caution. VeeKay’s Ed Carpenter Racing car was surprised by a gust of wind in the short chute between Turns 1 and 2, got turned around and struck the wall hard, ending his day.
Sunday’s weather looks to be a hot, with a high of 83 Fahrenheit, and no rain forecast at the moment. Wind gusts up to 17 mph could be an issue at the short chutes between Turns 1-2 and 3-4.
How to watch the 106th Indianapolis 500
- Date: May 29
- Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway — Indianapolis, Ind.
- Time: 12 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC
- Stream: fuboTV (try for free)