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Dixon leads as Ganassi dominant in opening Indy 500 qualifying
Reigning IndyCar champion Scott Dixon led the way as Chip Ganassi Racing dominated the opening day of qualifying for the 105th Indianapolis 500 on Saturday.
The New Zealand racer, gunning for a seventh IndyCar series crown this season, led all four of the Ganassi drivers into Sunday's Fast Nine Shootout - when the top nine spots on the starting grid for the May 30 race will be determined.
Dixon was the first driver on track when qualifying started and produced a four-lap average speed of 231.828 mph on the famed 2 1/2-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit.
He stayed atop the times for more than five hours as a total of 58 attempts to topple him failed.
Dixon, who won the Indianapolis 500 in 2008, will go last on Sunday in the Fast Nine shootout as the top nine from Saturday's session go out in reverse order in pursuit of pole position and the remaining spots on the first three rows.
Dixon, who topped practice times on Friday, will be the favorite to earn his fourth Indy 500 pole, but he'll face a powerful challenge from teammates Tony Kanaan of Brazil, Alex Palou of Spain and Marcus Ericsson of Sweden.
Kanaan was third-quickest on Saturday at 231.639 mph behind second-fastest Colton Herta of Andretti Autosport (231.648).
Ed Carpenter of Ed Carpenter Racing was fourth-fastest in 231.616 and the team's young Dutch driver Rins VeeKay, coming off his first IndyCar victory on the Indy Speedway road course last week, was fifth-quickest in 231.483.
Brazilian Helio Castroneves, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, was sixth (231.164) for Meyer-Shank Racing.
Palau nabbed the seventh-fastest time despite crashing in turn two while making his second qualifying attempt. He hadn't withdrawn his first run of 231.145 mph, but his team will face the challenge of getting his car in shape for a pole position bid.
Ericsson was the final Ganassi driver in the top nine - behind eighth-quickest Andretti driver Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Places 10 through 30 on the starting grid were determined Saturday, but in addition to the top nine spots on Sunday a Last Chance Qualifying session will see five cars battle for the three spots on the final row.
Stunningly that group will include 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power of Australia, who failed to put himself in the top 30 in two attempts at the wheel of his Penske Chevrolet.
The New Zealand racer, gunning for a seventh IndyCar series crown this season, led all four of the Ganassi drivers into Sunday's Fast Nine Shootout - when the top nine spots on the starting grid for the May 30 race will be determined.
Dixon was the first driver on track when qualifying started and produced a four-lap average speed of 231.828 mph on the famed 2 1/2-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit.
He stayed atop the times for more than five hours as a total of 58 attempts to topple him failed.
Dixon, who won the Indianapolis 500 in 2008, will go last on Sunday in the Fast Nine shootout as the top nine from Saturday's session go out in reverse order in pursuit of pole position and the remaining spots on the first three rows.
Dixon, who topped practice times on Friday, will be the favorite to earn his fourth Indy 500 pole, but he'll face a powerful challenge from teammates Tony Kanaan of Brazil, Alex Palou of Spain and Marcus Ericsson of Sweden.
Kanaan was third-quickest on Saturday at 231.639 mph behind second-fastest Colton Herta of Andretti Autosport (231.648).
Ed Carpenter of Ed Carpenter Racing was fourth-fastest in 231.616 and the team's young Dutch driver Rins VeeKay, coming off his first IndyCar victory on the Indy Speedway road course last week, was fifth-quickest in 231.483.
Brazilian Helio Castroneves, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, was sixth (231.164) for Meyer-Shank Racing.
Palau nabbed the seventh-fastest time despite crashing in turn two while making his second qualifying attempt. He hadn't withdrawn his first run of 231.145 mph, but his team will face the challenge of getting his car in shape for a pole position bid.
Ericsson was the final Ganassi driver in the top nine - behind eighth-quickest Andretti driver Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Places 10 through 30 on the starting grid were determined Saturday, but in addition to the top nine spots on Sunday a Last Chance Qualifying session will see five cars battle for the three spots on the final row.
Stunningly that group will include 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power of Australia, who failed to put himself in the top 30 in two attempts at the wheel of his Penske Chevrolet.
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