Indy 500: Penske stays on top, heroic VeeKay rebounds from crash

By the time he completed all four of his laps around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he rolled to an average speed of 233.758mph to take the top spot. "I wouldn't have trimmed any more than that," said Power, the 2018 Indy 500 winner.

Scott McLaughlin furthered Penske's stranglehold at the sharp end of the field after a 233.332mph four-lap average was enough to secure second, ahead of team-mate and defending Indy 500 champion Josef Newgarden in third (233.293mph four-lap average).

Arrow McLaren endured a rollercoaster day but ended on a high note with Alexander Rossi dropping a stellar four-lap effort of 233.069mph to slot fourth - despite the track temperature exceeding 120F (after the morning saw it start at 95F) with 70 minutes remaining in the session.

Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood, who went out first on the day, delivered a combined pace at 232.764mph to hold as the fastest Honda in fifth.

Following an issue that led to aborting his initial run, Kyle Larson rebounded in the No. 17 Arrow McLaren-Rick Hendrick Chevrolet with a 232.563mph four-lap average to end up sixth.

Meyer Shank Racing's Felix Rosenqvist vaulted to a 232.547mph run in seventh, ahead of AJ Foyt Racing's Santino Ferrucci (232.496mph) in eighth.

Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato put his No. 75 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda in ninth after a 232.473mph.

After early struggles, Pato O'Ward made a late surge on his third attempt with roughly an hour and change remaining to put his No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in 10th at a 232.434mph four-lap run.

"It felt good," O'Ward said. "Obviously, it's the best run that we've had all day.

"The one previous to this, we found an issue quite quickly as soon as we started the run. Hats off to the guys that we went back and made the changes that we needed to, cooled everything off to get back out."

Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: Peacock TV

After crashing on the opening lap of his maiden attempt in the morning, Ed Carpenter Racing's Rinus VeeKay pulled off a dramatic run in the final seconds to pull off a sensational 232.419mph in his rebuilt car to grab 11th.

"We had hopes and that's what brings you there," VeeKay said. "Wow! What an effort from the guys. Incredible.

"I just had to make sure I keep it alive, get it over the line. I'm not sure what a pole feels like, but this feels way better."

The final transfer spot of the top 12 was occupied by 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, who delivered a run in the final hour and rolled to a 232.385mph four-lap effort in the No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Chevrolet.

The first driver on the outside looking in and now locked into the starting spot of 13th was Colton Herta, who was bumped out by VeeKay's late surge. Herta's No. 26 Andretti Global Honda logged 232.316mph four-lap run.

Reigning and two-time IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou, who was last year's pole-sitter for last year's edition of 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' ended up 13th and unable to make a last run to break in as he was in line to go out as time expired.

The group of drivers that will be left battling to make the field for the last row includes 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson (Andretti Global), Katherine Legge (Dale Coyne Racing), rookie Nolan Siegel (Dale Coyne Racing) and - for the second year in a row - Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing).

"It's tough, for sure," Ericsson said. "You know, this place has very high highs and very low lows and I think today was one of those, but I can only blame myself.

"I put ourselves in this position with my crash and the team has been amazing rebuilding and a new car and working so hard all day to get me out for new runs. But it's very tough."

Of note, there were issues that occurred and interrupted the promising late runs of several drivers, including Conor Daly (Dale Coyne Racing Chevrolet), rookie Christian Rasmussen (Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet) and Agustin Canapino (Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet), among others.