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Indianapolis 500 practice is officially underway this week, with qualifying coming up this weekend.
However, the way they will set up the track for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 is a bit different than it has been in years past.
The Indy 500 has typically used a format unlike any other IndyCar race, and frankly, it’s my favorite format in all of motorsports.
Practice for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 began Tuesday, (© Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
You make each car run a four-lap race, and the field is determined by the average speed over those four laps.
However, after the first run, teams can get in line to run again and can run as many times as they can before time runs out.
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Or they can play by discarding their previous time and skipping the line.
It’s intense, especially when you get into the final minutes of the session.
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden jumps into his car for the first day of practice ahead of the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. (© Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Going into May, one of the big talking points was that the number of entries held steady at 33. That’s a full field, of course, but it robs us all of the drama of bump day, when more than 33 cars try to earn a spot on the grid.
But luckily some small adjustments will add some intensity on the second day of qualifying as there will be no shocks.
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Typically, the 12 fastest drivers race on Sunday for a shot at advancing in the Firestone Fast Six and a shot at starting from the pole. This year, the fastest nine cars on the first day of qualifying will lock into the Top 12, while the cars that finish the first day in the 10-15 places will again compete for the last three places.
After the Top 12 race, qualifying continues as normal.
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Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s Conor Daly prepares for the opening day of the Indianapolis 500. (© Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
I’m as upset as anyone that we couldn’t at least make 34 cars, but I think it’s going to be pretty cool because if you have a half-bad run on Saturday but can still get in the top 15, you still have a shot at the pole.
The first day of the qualification starts on Saturday 16 May at 11 a.m. ET, and will move from FS2 to FS1 and then finally to Fox during the day.
