Josef Newgarden snagged the top spot during an eventful final two-hour practice session before the Indianapolis 500 on Carb Day. He zoomed around the track at an impressive 225.687mph in his No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet, setting the bar high early on his seventh lap. No one could catch up to his speed, with two-time winner Takuma Sato coming the closest at 225.415mph in the No. 75 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda. Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing followed closely behind with a 225.200mph best in the No. 9 Honda. Devlin DeFrancesco and Will Power rounded out the top five with speeds of 224.778mph and 224.419mph, respectively.
For many teams, the focus was not just on the times posted but also on the work that lay ahead. Sato’s day ended prematurely when his car experienced a mechanical issue on the back straight, bringing out the yellow flags. This was the second setback for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, as Graham Rahal had to cut his session short due to smoke pouring out of his car earlier in the day. Despite the challenges, Rahal remained optimistic, stating, “At this stage you’ve just got to go and if it’s not ideal, it’s not ideal. We’ll just do what we can.”
The day was not without its share of troubles for other teams as well. Ryan Hunter-Reay had to quickly exit his car when it caught fire, while Alexander Rossi’s session was cut short due to a water pump failure. Even those without explicit problems faced struggles, with some teams making significant changes to address handling issues. The interruptions meant that practice pit stops, typically done towards the end of Carb Day, were delayed as drivers aimed to maximize their time on the track. Despite the challenges faced by many teams, the stage is set for an exciting and unpredictable Indianapolis 500.
