The field for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is set. Image courtesy of Dana Garrett / Penske Entertainment
The checkered flag has fallen on two days of qualifying and the field is officially set for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29.
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Six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon delivered one of the history books with an electrifying four-lap dash of 234.046 mph for the fastest Indy 500 pole run ever.
While this marks Dixon’s fifth Indy 500 pole (second all-time), it was perhaps an even more impressive performance by Chip Ganassi Racing who, along with claiming the top spot, put four of its five cars in the top six starting spots. At 47 years young, the ageless wonder, 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, will start sixth in the No. 1 CGR Honda.
Ex-Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean was the shining light for Andretti Autosport and will make his Indy 500 debut from ninth.
Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, piloting the fifth CGR entry, claimed the 12th starting spot for his debut in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”.
Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden will start 14th in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet, while 2019 Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud will start 16th with new outfit Meyer Shank Racing.
Among other notables include Alexander Rossi, who will have to come from 20th if he hopes to win a second Borg-Warner Trophy. Rossi’s Andretti Autosport teammates, Marco Andretti, rookie Devlin DeFrancesco and Colton Herta, will start 23rd, 24th and 25th, respectively.
Defending and four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves will make his ‘Drive for Five’ from 27th in the No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing Honda.
Two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya will start 30th.
Stefan Wilson, the only driver to not record a time in qualifying, will start in the final spot among the field of 33 in the No. 25 DragonSpeed / Cusick Motorsports Chevrolet.