Indianapolis 500 changes qualifying to add drama

NTT IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials have again tinkered with the qualifying format for the Indianapolis 500 in hopes of adding drama and filling the void of bumping this weekend.

Rather than the fastest nine drivers from Saturday determining the pole, the pool of drivers competing for that spot on the inside of Row 1 at the green flag – and the coveted $100,000 prize – will expand to 12 this year, officials announced last month, with the addition of another qualifying round to set the front-runners.

As has been the case for several years, Day 1 of Indy 500 qualifying will begin in a randomized order via a draw following Fast Friday for each car to make its initial run. Until the final gun sounds on Friday, drivers and teams will then be allowed to hop into one of two lanes, should they wish to make another attempt.

The priority lane: To enter Lane 1, a driver must withdraw their time currently posted, and their new four-lap average will slot them into the field accordingly. Because of the added risk, they get priority of cars trying to get back onto the track.

Lane 2: Teams have additional safety in this lane because their new time will only count if it’s better than their previous run.

Only the top 30 cars from Saturday will be considered “locked into” the race. While the top 12 qualifiers will compete for starting position, spots 13-33 will be locked into a specific starting spot based on their qualifying speed.

Sunday will decide the order of the first four rows.

The extra front-of-the-field qualifying session starts Sunday with the Top 12 qualifying session, starting at 4 p.m. – the start of a two-hour NBC broadcast window. Each of the fastest 12 cars from Saturday will have the opportunity to make a single four-lap run, with a running order of the 12th-fastest to fastest.

The fastest six of these then move on to the Firestone Fast Six, and cars seventh-12th on the speed charts will be slotted into the race field accordingly.

In the Firestone Fast Six, cars will make their lone attempt in order of slowest to fastest from the Top 12 session, and they’ll be slotted into the field’s first two rows based on this final qualifying attempt. The fastest car earns the pole.

In a change to the last couple of years, the final Indy 500 practice before Carb Day (May 27) will be held Monday from 12-2 p.m., and that day fans will only be

permitted in the infield.

Indy 500 qualifying schedule Saturday

9-10:30 a.m. (ET): Pre-qualifying full-field practice (Peacock)

Noon-5:50 p.m. (ET): Day 1 of Indy 500 qualifying (setting positions 13-33) (Peacock)

Sunday

12:30-2 p.m. (ET): Top 12 practice (Peacock)

4 p.m. (ET): Start of two-hour NBC broadcast

4-4:45 p.m. (ET): Top 12 qualifying (NBC)

5:10-5:40 p.m. (ET): Firestone Fast Six (NBC)