Indy500: Dixon fastest, no Fast9 for Penske

Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi) was the fastest during the first day of qualifying for the 105th edition of Indy500, with four laps completed at an average of 371,758 km/h, on his first attempt.

The first to set off, the reigning champion ofIndyCar ahead of Colton Herta (Andretti) and his teammate, Tony Kanaan, who takes care of the ovals on the No. 48.

Among the qualifiers for Fast 9, this final battle between the nine fastest drivers which will define the first three rows of the grid on Sunday, only representatives of Ed Carpenter Racing saved Chevrolet's honor.

The boss, Ed Carpenter, qualified in 4th position, and his young teammate, Rinus Veekay, set the 5th time on his second attempt, after the first pass of the 35 cars entered.

Lacking speed, the Team Penske drivers will be the main absentees from Fast 9. Worse, Will Power will even have to fight to gain his place on the last row (Last Row Shootout), with the five slowest drivers of the day, after having had to settle for a 32nd time.

Sunday, from 19 p.m. HF, the Australian will try to avoid the humiliation of being one of the two “bumped” drivers against RC Enerson (Top Gun Racing), Simona de Silvestro (Paretta Autosport), Sage Karam (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing), and Charlie Kimball (AJ Foyt).

Fifteenth, rookie Scott McLaughlin was the best classified of the Moorseville team, ahead of Josef Newgarden, 16th, and simon pagenaud who will start from 26th place. “Behind the wheel the sensations are good, we just have to find how to gain speed. We are not where we wanted to be» declared the winner of the 2019 edition.

The other Frenchman, Sébastien Bourdais, not at the party since the start of activities on the Brickyard last Tuesday, will start alongside his compatriot, in 27th place, since the starting position of the drivers from 10th to 30th row is already secure.

Luxury freelancer from Meyer Shank Racing, the veteran Helio Castroneves will be among those affected by Fast9, Sunday, from 20:30 p.m. Sixth, the three-time Indy500 winner beat Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi), however, the victim of an accident during his second attempt, but also Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti), and Marcus Ericsson (Chip Ganassi), ninth most. quickly after six hours of qualifying.

With its four qualified representatives, Chip Ganassi Racing is the undeniable big winner of the first day of qualifying.

Among the big losers of the day, in addition to the members of Team Penske, we must count Alexander Red (Andretti, 10th), Pato O' Ward (McLaren Sp, 12th), or the defending champion, Takuma Sato (RLL Racing, 15th), who will watch Fast9 from their garage.