Will Power Sets the Pace as Rain Curtails First Day of Indy 500 Practice
The opening day of practice for the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge was dominated by familiar powerhouses, as Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing flexed their muscles despite a weather-shortened session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Will Power, the 2018 Indy 500 champion, topped the timesheets late in the day with a lap of 227.026 mph in his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. He was closely followed by teammate and two-time defending race winner Josef Newgarden, who clocked a 226.971 mph lap in the No. 2 Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Chevrolet. Newgarden is on a historic quest to become the first driver to win the legendary race three years in a row.
Rain and lightning hampered the session, with track activity delayed by over two and a half hours and wrapped up half an hour early due to nearby lightning strikes. In total, 34 drivers completed 1,549 laps, covering 3,872.5 miles before the weather brought an early end to the day.
“It’s a solid starting point,” Power said after the session. “The car felt good, and I picked up a few things from my teammates. The Indy 500 is almost like its own championship—you’ve got to constantly analyze and improve.”
Alex Palou, the dominant force in the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, was third fastest at 226.673 mph in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. The reigning series champion has already won four of the first five races this season, including the Sonsio Grand Prix last weekend, and is aiming for his first win at the Brickyard.
Ganassi teammate and 2008 Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon was fourth fastest at 225.059 mph, while Scott McLaughlin rounded out the top five with a 225.005 mph run in his No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet.
Veteran Helio Castroneves, chasing a record fifth Indy 500 victory, was the quickest among non-Penske or Ganassi drivers. He recorded a best lap of 224.523 mph in the No. 06 Cliffs Honda from Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian.
Wednesday’s schedule kicks off at 10 a.m. ET with a refresher run for 2013 Indy 500 champion Tony Kanaan. Now serving as a backup driver for Arrow McLaren, Kanaan is on standby in case Kyle Larson, who is attempting the Memorial Day weekend “Double” (racing in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600), is delayed in traveling due to weather.
Full-field practice resumes at noon and runs until 6 p.m., with coverage on FS2, FS1, the FOX Sports app, and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
written by Philipp Kraus / Media Credit: Penske Entertainment