Dixon storms to fastest Indy 500 pole average in history - 234.046mph

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3iQkbUWH0c&t=2s

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | May 22, 2022 7:43 PM ET

Scott Dixon has never heard an explosion of cheers like he did after posting a 234.437mph opening lap on the way to setting the fastest pole speed average in the 106 editions of the Indianapolis 500. The four-time Indy pole winner backed it up with a 234.162mph blast on his second lap, a 233.859mph tour on his third and a closer of 233.726mph to produce a four-lap average of 234.046mph and earn his fifth pole at the Speedway.

Dixon went last in the new Fast Six qualifying session and topped Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Alex Palou whose 233.499mph gave CGR and Honda the top two starting spots ahead of Rinus VeeKay’s Chevy-powered Ed Carpenter Racing entry at a 233.385mph average.

Together, the three also produced the fastest average front row speed of all time at the Indy 500.

“That was a huge feat,” Dixon said of the Ganassi team placing four drivers in the Fast Six. The next test is to turn the team’s pole-day dominance into a race-day result.

“It’s all about the win,” he continued. “It’s a privilege to be on the pole. It’s damn hard to do. Everybody feels good about the situation, but not as good as I did when I won in 2008.”

More IndyCar!

VIDEO: Dixon on his 234mph pole run

VIDEO: Indy 500 Pole Day report with Pato O'Ward

RLL bewildered but not defeated

Outside the Fast Six, Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward was next on the list with a 232.705mph in his Chevy followed by teammate Felix Rosenqvist at 232.182mph, and Andretti Autosport rookie Romain Grosjean was impressive in ninth at 231.999mph after holding onto a Honda-powered car that came close to the walls on more than one occasion.

“We qualified seventh for the big show,” O’Ward said. “Honestly, I expected a bit more. We had very solid qualifying runs up until this point, so we are analyzing what happened on this qualifying run. It’s unfortunate but some things are out of your control. The team did a great job to put that car in a good place, and we had great balance — probably the best we’ve had all week. We’re in a good position to fight for the win on Sunday.”

In 10th, Takuma Sato generated a 231.670mph in the Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing Honda. Team Penske’s Will Power was 11th at 231.534mph in his Chevy and CGR’s Jimmie Johnson, who nearly hit the wall to start his run, closed the Fast 12 with a 231.264mph in his Honda.

UP NEXT: Practice, Monday, 1-3 p.m. ET

 

Ganassi crew member shows grit at Indy

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | May 22, 2022 10:12 AM ET

The Chip Ganassi Racing team was closing up shop on pit lane after Thursday’s practice session for the Indianapolis 500. It’s the same routine for every team; all of the equipment is uncovered and readied in the morning and broken down and put away at 6 p.m., but something went awry as Scott Dixon’s tire specialist Kevin Evory (pictured above) and a fellow teammate were dropping the lid on the No. 9 car’s big radio and scanner cart.

Through nothing more than a simple error, the lid came down hard while Evory’s right index finger was extended across the base of the cart, and with the sizable lid coming down with a fair amount of force, his finger was severed close to the knuckle.

Taken to the emergency room, Evory’s injury was treated and bandaged, and rather than take some time off to deal with the pain and adjust to the permanent change, he was back at the track on Friday, on pit lane, preparing Dixon’s tires with the help of one of CGR’s IMSA crew members and wearing the racer's secret weapon: Duct tape.

More IndyCar!

VIDEO: Dixon on his 234mph pole run

VIDEO: Indy 500 Pole Day report with Pato O'Ward

Dixon storms to fastest Indy 500 pole average in history - 234.046mph

Evory’s story is but one of many like it in the sport; like athletes playing with an injury, at least one member of every team entered in the Indy 500 is dealing with a serious injury or physical limitation while doing their job. Knees, backs, shoulders, ankles, wrists, and in Evory’s case, fingers are all subject to immense punishment after years of working on pit lane.

“They’re all tough men and women on this team,” Dixon told RACER. “You know, Kevin has been a great tire guy, and we all just want him to be OK. But it says a lot about him and the culture in this team, man, that he’s here and didn’t miss a day. Massive respect for him but he's gonna miss the big circle jerk if we win.

 

RLL bewildered but not defeated
"You media bastards never interview me when we do well. I got nothin' to say."

Marshall Pruett
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emailBy Marshall Pruett | May 22, 2022 10:44 AM ET

Every year at the Indy 500, at least one multi-car team is guaranteed to be short on speed and big on questions as to why it was so wide of the mark. So far at the 2022 edition of the event, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has been that team as the trio of Graham Rahal, Jack Harvey, and rookie Christian Lundgaard continue to search for what’s been missing since practice started on Tuesday.

"You media bastards never interview me when we do well. I got nothin' to say."