
Palou and a pair of Penskes set the pace in first stage of Indy 500 qualifying
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It was three familiar faces at the top of the Indianapolis 500 qualifying board after the first round of time trials, with two-time defending IndyCar series champion Alex Palou holding the provisional pole.
Palou, winner of four of the first five races this season, qualified at 233.043 mph in a Honda-powered entry to top the Team Penske drivers of Scott McLaughlin and two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden.
McLaughlin went 233.013 and Newgarden was third at 233.004. A year ago, all three Penske cars swept the front row at Indianapolis 500 and Newgarden used a last-lap pass to put himself in position to become the first driver to win 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' three consecutive years in next Sunday's race.
Qualifying on Saturday decides the fast 12 that will run again Sunday to set the first four rows and the pole. Drivers that qualify in spots 13 through 30 lock in their positions, but the slowest four cars or those unable to post a time Saturday go into a last-chance shootout Sunday to determine the final three spots on the 33-car grid.
One driver will not make the field.
It's a crapshoot who the bottom four will be midway through Saturday's qualifying session. While Palou, McLaughlin and Newgarden are likely done for the day, Team Penske had Will Power back in line to make another run and he approved his position into the top-12 at 10th.
But the track conditions have been the worst of the week with heavy wind gusts that have affected handling on the cars and played into two frightening crashes: Marcus Armstrong wrecked in morning practice and his backup was not ready when it was his turn to make his qualifying attempt. Eventually cleared by the IndyCar medical staff to compete, he's hopeful to get a qualifying run in Saturday and not be relegated to Sunday's shootout.
Same for Colton Herta, who crashed in nearly the same spot as Armstrong in a much scarier wreck during his qualifying attempt. Herta's car actually flipped on its side and he was stuck riding the wall, cockpit side facing the concrete. His team desperately tried to reach him on the radio to check on him but the car was so mangled, Herta could not reach the button to answer Andretti Global.
He currently has no qualifying time posted and could be in the bottom four shootout if Andretti does not have a car ready for him by the time Saturday's session ends.
Also struggling were Graham Rahal, who failed to qualify for the race in 2023 and can't get a handle of his car so far.
Not qualified so far are Rahal, Jacob Abel, Armstrong and Herta.
Kyle Larson, who is attempting to run both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, is locked into the Indy field but not in position to run the fast 12. Arrow McLaren sent him back out Saturday and he improved from 27th to 16th.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Madrid's new street circuit to debut in 2026, replacing Imola on F1 schedule
A new street circuit in Madrid will make its debut on the Formula 1 schedule in September of next year, replacing the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. F1 announced its 2026 calendar on Tuesday, setting the first grand prix at the new Madring track in the Spanish capital for Sept. 13. Spain gets two races in 2026 as Barcelona stays on the calendar for the final year of its contract. It faces an uncertain future after that. F1 has previously said Madrid's race will be known as the Spanish Grand Prix. The new schedule doesn't specify a new name for Barcelona's race, which has been known as the Spanish Grand Prix since 1991. Spain's second race means Italy drops back to having one grand prix as Imola leaves the schedule. The historic track, a favorite with drivers, returned to the schedule in 2020 as a late addition amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has hosted five races since. Its contract was up this year. The Australian Grand Prix on March 8 starts the season for the second year running because the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia again move to April to avoid clashing with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The season stays at 24 races and concludes with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from Dec. 4-6. As part of a push to limit intercontinental travel, the Canadian Grand Prix moves forward from June to May 24 so that it follows the Miami Grand Prix. That sets up a potential clash with the Indianapolis 500. Last month's Monaco Grand Prix was also run on the same day as the Indy 500, but the difference in time zones meant it was easier to avoid a clash. The Monaco race started nearly four hours earlier and finished well before the Indy 500 began. This week's race in Canada is sandwiched between events in Spain and Austria. Moving Canada in 2026 will mean that all of F1's European races are scheduled together from June through September. 'With 24 grands prix across five continents, the season truly reflects the global nature of our community, while the improved geographical flow of the calendar shows our joint commitment to making the championship more efficient and sustainable,' FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in a statement.


The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Argentina vs Colombia LIVE Streaming info: ARG v COL, FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier
Lionel Messi's Argentina takes on Colombia in Buenos Aires in a match where coach Lionel Scaloni will continue adding depth to his squad. South America's last two qualifying game days are in September. The top six teams earn direct spots for the World Cup next year in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The seventh-place team goes into an international playoff. While Argentina has already qualified for the World Cup in North America, Colombia are in the sixth and final automatic qualification spot and will be looking to put some distance between themselves and seventh-placed Venezuela with a win When and where will Argentina vs Colombia FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier? The FIFA Word Cup 2026 qualifier between Argentina and Colombia will be played at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The match is scheduled to kick off at 8:45 m local time on June 10 (5:15 am, June 11). How to watch Argentina vs Colombia FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier? The FIFA Word Cup 2026 qualifier, Argentina vs Colombia, will not be live streamed or broadcast in India. However, it can be watched on SBS on Demand in wherever it is available. Colombia beat Argentina 2-1 when the sides last met in the World Cup qualifiers in September. 'It's a great team, and with great players, and it has a clear style that can put you in trouble,' Scaloni said. 'We've analysed it, we've shown the players their strengths and what we want to take advantage of. It's going to be a nice game, especially because we play at home, so it's good for our people to see the players.' (with inputs from AP)


Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
CNG car sales surpass diesel for first time in FY25
In FY25, sales of CNG cars surpassed diesel for the first time, with 787,724 CNG units sold compared to 736,508 diesel cars , according to Vahan data. This shift is prompting most major car manufacturers to introduce CNG models. CNG car sales experienced a significant surge in FY25, outpacing other fuel types. The data indicates a 35 per cent increase in CNG car sales year-on-year, reports Financial Express. On the other hand, diesel car sales only rose by 5 per cent. Electric vehicles and hybrids saw a 15 per cent increase, while petrol car sales declined by 7 per cent. Rising petrol and diesel prices, lower running costs, and expanding refuelling infrastructure are also amongst the factors behind rising sales of CNG cars. Carmakers initiative amid the soaring CNG demand This growth in CNG demand has prompted several carmakers to launch new models. Four carmakers have introduced CNG models in the last four months alone. Honda introduced CNG variants of the Amaze and Elevate. Renault added CNG options for the Kwid, Kiger, and Triber. Citroen launched the C3 CNG, and Nissan rolled out the Magnite CNG. More manufacturers are expected to join the CNG market soon. Industry executives report that Tata Motors will soon launch a CNG version of its upcoming Curvv SUV. Kia is also set to introduce a CNG variant of Carens by the end of the year. With these additions, most major manufacturers will offer CNG models. This includes Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata, Toyota, Honda, Kia, Nissan, Renault, and Stellantis. Why are few still out of the race? However, some companies are choosing to stay out of the CNG market. Volkswagen Group, JSW MG, and Mahindra are not expected to introduce CNG models. Analysts suggest that brand identity and product strategy are key factors in this decision. These companies are prioritising electric vehicles and hybrids. For the mass market, CNG is becoming a more appealing option. The fuel's popularity is driven by several factors. Rising petrol and diesel prices are a major consideration for consumers. The relatively low running costs of CNG, at ₹3-4/km, also contribute to its appeal. The expansion of CNG refuelling infrastructure is also playing a role. The government aims to increase CNG filling stations significantly. The goal is to increase the number of stations from 7,500 in 2024 to over 18,000 by 2032. Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors have played a significant role in the recent growth of CNG car sales. Maruti Suzuki offers factory-fitted CNG options across nearly all its models. Tata Motors has introduced innovative twin-cylinder technology. This technology places two 30-litre CNG cylinders under the boot floor, preserving luggage space. This resolves a major drawback of traditional CNG cars, which often have limited luggage space due to a large CNG tank. The stable pricing of CNG in recent years has also helped its popularity. After a sharp price rise between 2021 and 2023, CNG costs have remained steady. CNG costs have remained around ₹75-76/kg. This makes it a more predictable and appealing choice for consumers.