Coverage by Dan Jones, Archie O'Reilly and Caitlyn Gordon
Welcome to DIVEBOMB's live coverage for the second day of qualifying ahead of the 108th Indianapolis 500, where the Top 12 drivers will sort their positions out, as well as the last row, where someone's Indianapolis 500 dream will end today, as they will be bumped from the field. Follow throughout the day for live updates, analysis and all you need to know during the day.
Feel free to get in touch with us on social media. You can find DIVEBOMB at @divebombmotorsport on Instagram and @divebombmsport on X.
KEY MOMENTS SO FAR:
Team Penske lead Saturday 1-2-3
Rossi leads McLaren charge - Larson 6th, O'Ward 10th on Saturday
VeeKay makes Fast 12 after last gasp attempt after morning crash
Kirkwood, Sato, Hunter-Reay, Rosenqvist and Ferrucci also in Fast 12
Legge, Ericsson, Rahal, Siegel to compete in Last Chance Qualifying - one to go home
Team Penske dominate in Fast 12
Larson, Rossi, Ferrucci secure a spot in the Fast 6
McLaughlin pole as Penske sweep front row
----
LIVE UPDATES:
18:00 ET - Thanks for tuning in!
Well, that was dramatic as always! Nolan Siegel has unfortunately missed out on the show, while Scott McLaughlin is set to lead an all-Penske front row to green next Sunday. Meantime, why not shop for your Scotty Mac merch at Formula Model Shop if you are in the UK and Europe? You can use the code FIVEBOMB for five percent off. Thanks for joining us today!
17:50 ET - 36 years from Penske's last lockout
Team Penske last locked out the front row at Indianapolis in 1988. Scott McLaughlin, four years on from moving over to IndyCar full-time from V8 Supercars, has probably the highest moment of his Stateside career. It has been an outstanding rise.
17:46 ET - McLaughlin on pole as Penske sweep front row!
Scott McLaughlin is on pole after an astonishing, record-breaking 234.220 mph four-lap average! He kicked his run off with a 234.526 mph lap and backed it up with the session's second-quickest lap with a 234.371 mph tour too. He kept in the 234 mph range until the very last lap and did enough to trump both of his teammates. Will Power is second and Josef Newgarden third.
17:42 ET - Power top with 233.917 mph
Three drivers in succession have managed to notch 234 mph and, despite dropping into the 233s, Will Power puts together one of the most consistent runs you will see to leapfrog Josef Newgarden! It is now down to Scott McLaughlin, bidding to deny his teammate a first Indy 500 pole in his own quest for his first. An all-Penske front row is still on...
17:38 ET - Incredible 233.808 mph for Newgarden
Josef Newgarden follows Alexander Rossi in managing a 234 mph lap on his first tour before remaining in the range for his second lap. The defending winner emphatically goes to the top, 0.8 mph ahead of Rossi, and is guaranteed a front-row start. Now Will Power runs in attempt to keep hopes of a first all-Penske front row since 1988 alive.
17:34 ET - Rossi ahead of Larson
It was an incredible run that started with a 234 mph average lap speed for Alexander Rossi. The drop-off was again significant but Rossi holds on for a 233.090 mph four-lap average after his monster first lap. He has been the best non-Penske car all weekend and will at least start fourth. This session is non-stop - now to the Penske trio, starting with Josef Newgarden.
17:30 ET - Larson top with 232.846 mph
Just like Santino Ferrucci, Kyle Larson notches a first lap in the 233 mph range. There was drop-off from there but he keeps consistent and will start ahead of the third-place finisher from 2023 and is guaranteed to be inside the top five when the green flag drops next week. He has been a delight to watch all qualifying weekend. Now to his teammate Alexander Rossi...
17:25 ET - 232.692 mph for Ferrucci
It is always fireworks with Santino Ferrucci. He goes precariously up to the wall at Turn 1 on essentially every lap but keeps his foot pinned. The first lap was in the 233 mph range but there was just a little bit too much drop off as the car walked up the track in all sorts of places. Full commitment from Ferrucci. Likely not enough for pole but he will be delighted with starting on the front two rows. Kyle Larson now!
17:20 ET - Ferrucci rolling
Hi folks, Archie here! Firstly glad Nolan Siegel is okay - he is a truly great kid. But it's a change of pace now. Santino Ferrucci is rolling as the first of six going for pole. He will be followed by Kyle Larson, Alexander Rossi, Josef Newgarden, Will Power and finally Scott McLaughlin.
17:15 ET - The battle for pole
It's always the difficult minutes of bump day, seeing the pure emotion of the unfortunate one bumped. But we're going to go from disappointment to elation, as the Fast Six shootout is coming right up. I'm going to pass you to Archie as he covers the battle for the pole position.
17:13 ET - The last row
Katherine Legge will line-up inside on the third row, with Marcus Ericsson in the middle, whilst Graham Rahal makes the final spot in the field. Poor Nolan Siegel will not be in the race after crashing on his final qualifying attempt. A tough blow for Siegel in his young career, but I think everyone expects the Californian to bounce back.
17:11 ET - Good guy Graham Rahal
A lot of credit to Graham Rahal here. Says he won't celebrate as it's 'salt in the wounds.' He talks about RLL's struggles yet again and states that 'we will know' Nolan Siegel's name in the future. Rahal avoids disaster again - he seems more relieved than pleased.
17:08 ET - Siegel Crashes, Bumped from 500
And it ends in dissapointment for Nolan Siegel, he gets loose on the exit of Lap Two on Turn Two and finds himself in the barrier. Driver OK. He will not make the field for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500. A tough pill to swallow for the 19-year-old. Graham Rahal will make the field, and he can breathe easy despite all RLL's woes again.
17:07 ET - Lap One
This won't be enough, Siegel needs an absolute miracle.
17:06 ET - Remember last year?
Graham Rahal was in exactly the same situation last year. And on that occasion, teammate, Jack Harvey knocked him out the 500. Harvey has been mentoring Nolan Siegel, can it happen again?
17:05 ET - ERICSSON IN THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
Ericsson jumps to 32nd, that's ahead of Graham Rahal, he is in the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500, can Nolan Siegel stun everyone and knock Graham Rahal out of the race.... again.
17:04 ET - LAP THREE
229.737, he keeps going this time.....
17:03 ET - LAP TWO
230.057, still quicker....
17:02 ET - LAP ONE
230.672, it's quicker than Siegel....
17:00 ET - Ericsson on track
Here we go. Seven minutes to go. Who will make the field?
16:57 ET - A clock update
There is just over 10 minutes to go here. Ericsson still holds the cards, there will only be time for two runs.
16:52 ET - A NASCAR update
In regards to my previous message, NASCAR has postponed the green flag to 20:30 ET, I wonder why that could be.....
16:49 ET - Kyle Larson's incredible day
Whilst we are still quiet, if you didn't know already, Kyle Larson will head straight to North Wilkesboro Speedway after the Fast 6 to compete in the NASCAR All-Star Race. He actually starts on pole by the fact they qualifying was rained out. But he's had no practice... but this is also one of the most talented drivers in the world. If you want to support Larson, head to FormulaModelShop to pick up the limited edition Larson Indy 500 cap, and use code FIVEBOMB at checkout for an excellent 5% off.
16:47 ET - A game of chess
This is in Marcus Ericsson's hands. If he goes out last minute and beats Nolan Siegel's time, Siegel will have no time to respond and will be out of the Indianapolis 500. Siegel could theoretically go now, BUT he would have to withdraw his time and could end up going slower..... what do you do?
16:45 ET - Still waiting for action
It's squeaky bum time, it's almost a game of chess. Approximately 20 minutes to go. You'd imagine Katherine Legge will be fine, Graham Rahal is in a good situation, it looks like Marcus Ericsson and Nolan Siegel will fight it out for the last spot in the field
16:34 ET - What are we waiting for?
You'd imagine with these drivers at risk at not making the field they'd be doing run after run, however with the demand that these engines are put under, teams must cool the engines in order to get the best possible run. With such fine margins to make the field, it is important. Some drivers will run out on track to get air into the engine - and that's exactly what Marcus Ericsson is doing now.
16:31 ET - Good guy Tony Kanaan
Whilst the track is quiet, I thought I'd share what Tony Kanaan's been doing. Nolan Siegel reached out to the 2013 Indy 500 Champ yesterday evening for some advice. Fast forward, the Brazilian is now sitting on Siegel's stand as a mentor after approval from Zak Brown and Gavin Ward. Kanaan isn't helping with setup, just simply giving the 19-year-old advice - as noted by Kanaan, a member of Zak Brown's United Autosports program.
16:29 ET - Rahal behind Legge, ahead of Siegel
That was on the limit from Graham Rahal, a 229.974 gives him a decent gap to Nolan Siegel behind. We'd expect Marcus Ericsson to run again after his issues. Can Rahal avoid the disaster that he suffered last year?
16:26 ET - What happens now?
Similarly to yesterday, all four drivers have a guaranteed run, where Graham Rahal is going out to do his. Unlike the Fast 12, drivers can take another attempt, they've got until the clock is up just after 17:00 ET. You have to withdraw your time though, so only expect those outside looking in to try further attempts.
16:24 ET - Legge slots in ahead of Siegel
ANOTHER huge moment for Legge at Turn 1 on this occasion. a 230.092 will do very nicely though, slots her nicely ahead of Nolan Siegel. That should be enough to make the field, but stranger things have happened. A sketchy run, but Legge looks safe.
16:21 ET - Big moment for Legge
A huge wobble for Legge at Turn 2, she's still going.....
16:19 ET - What now for Ericsson?
Marcus Ericsson looked the most comfortable of the four to get into the field today, and the most simple of mistakes has put him in huge trouble already. Andretti are checking the engine, but this seems like a communication error. We'll keep you updated, Katherine Legge next.
16:17 ET - ISSUE FOR ERICSSON
Marcus Ericsson has backed off - we aren't sure why.... maybe he thought it was the chequered flag, he got out of the throttle at the end of his third lap..... bizarre. A huge miscalculation, this is certainly not the time to do it for the 2022 Indianapolis 500 Winner.
16:12 ET - Siegel sets benchmark
Hello all, Dan back with you to run through the outcome of Last Chance Qualifying, where someone's Indianapolis 500 dream will end before it's even begun. A 229.566 four-lap average to start us off for Nolan Siegel. That likely won't be enough, but it's Siegel's fastest run of the weekend so far.
16:00 ET - Rows 3 and 4 are set
After an hour of the Fast 12, six drivers are now fighting it out for pole position later in the day. For the other six, their day is over and their place for the 500 is set. Row 3: Veekay, O'Ward, Rosenqvist Row 4: Sato, Kirkwood Hunter-Reay. Now onto the stressful Last Chance Qualifying - who will be bumped?
15:56 ET - McLaughlin looks forward to the Fast 6
Speaking to NBC, McLaughlin said: "I am excited to go again, the car is so good and hopefully we can put up a top number. The first lap felt pretty good, it was just a matter of putting the lap together. We are in the game, it's just a matter of putting it together."
15:53 ET - All three Penske's into the Fast 6
Power's first lap looked just as strong as McLaughlin's with a 233.832 with the Australian's time almost identical to McLaughlin's. He crosses the line with a 233.483, just 0.09 seconds splitting himself up from his teammate. It is no shock the three Penske's head into the Fast 6 after a strong performance in Saturday's shootout.
15:51 ET - The final car takes to the track
After an hour, Will Power, the final car in the session steps up for his turn. What does the No.12 driver have in store?
15:49 ET - Penske's looking untouchable
Scott McLaughlin was the next Penske to head out. His first lap was a 233.870 - the highest average of the day so far. As he continued, he consistently stayed in the high 233's, before outdoing his teammate by two tenths.
15:45 ET - Newgarden rapid
Newgarden, hungry for redemption, used every inch of the circuit to find extra grip. The American set four laps in the 233's, and heads to the top of the timing sheets.
15:41 ET - Ferrucci grabs a place in the Fast 6
An incredible lap from the American with a 232.723 will see him battle it out for pole. The Penske's are the final three cars to go out, with the the 2023 Indy 500 winner, Josef Newgarden, the first to take to the track
15:40 ET - Rossi with a monster lap
The 2016 Indy 500 winner took to the circuit, his lap started off incredibly, hitting the 233's for his first two laps. Rossi's was remaining strong as he crossed the line with a 233.071 which puts him on top. A great day for the papaya with two of its cars secured into the Fast 6, especially after yesterday's difficult start.
15:34 ET - A disappointing showing for Kirkwood
The only Andretti driver in the Fast 12; Kyle Kirkwood heads out for his attempt. It was looking like a strong time for the American with his balance on point. However, slid high which hurt his time, meaning Kirkwood crosses just outside the Fast 6 WITH A 230.993.
15:30 ET - Larson goes to the top!
Larson has impressed throughout the month of May, clocking in top speeds and it wasn't stopping in his attempt in the Fast 12. The American flew around the oval, looking strong and as he crossed the line he shot to the top of the board with a 232.788 - a guaranteed Fast 6 appearance. A truly generational driver!
15:25 ET - Rosenqvist goes out
Felix Rosenqvist has been a consistent contender at the top of qualifying in 2024, he heads out next, could another top time get him into the Fast 6? After crossing the line, his four-lap average wasn't enough to enter into the top three, the Swede slots into fourth. Kyle Larson has a bash next, what can the rookie produce?
15:22 ET - Ferrucci impresses
Running strong all weekend, the American left no room as he flew around the circuit and clocked in a 232.723 - bettering VeeKay's time by a tenth of a second and shooting to the top of the board, a great lap from the AJ Foyt Racing driver.
15:20 ET - O'Ward hopeful for Fast 6 appearance
Speaking to NBC, O'Ward said: "I don't think we had much more, I think it will stand and I think it will be enough for the Fast 6. I am happy with the balance, which keeps getting better and better."
15:17 ET - Experience pays off for Sato
Takumo Sato heads out onto circuit, his first lap clocked in a 232, his second and third lap consistently stayed in the 232's. He crossed the line with a 232.171 which wasn't enough to catch O'Ward or VeeKay but a strong attempt.
15:13 ET - O'Ward slots into second
A difficult day for papaya yesterday meant three out of four drivers suffered from plenum fires. The Mexican was the first Arrow McLaren out and after crossing the line O'Ward moves into second with a 232.584 - a strong showing from the driver.
15:10 ET - Rinus VeeKay crosses strong
After an early morning crash, VeeKay initially slotted into 28th but decided to gamble it with four minutes to go, which paid off securing his spot in the Fast 12. VeeKay flew around the circuit, putting in consistent times and grabbing a 232.610.
15:05 ET - RHR sets benchmark
The pace has clearly slowed from yesterday. Captain America hits a 230.567 four-lap average. Only a 231.440 Lap One. We were hitting 233s in practice. Will that stand? Let's wait and find out - Rinus VeeKay up next.
14:55 - Support your favourites through FMS! 16 drivers will take to the track at some point today, and what better way to show your support through FormulaModelShop - the best place to get IndyCar merchandise in Europe. Keep an eye out for their limited edition Arrow McLaren Indy 500 caps, such as this Alexander Rossi one - expect him to be strong today! Remember you can use code FIVEBOMB in checkout for a lovely 5% off when you head to the FMS website here
14:50 ET - Welcome to our Coverage
Hi folks, welcome back, we hope you all slept well, and are ready to do this again. Today's running will see the first four rows, as well as the final row of the Indianapolis 500 set, with one person's dream of winning this years running over before it will already begin.
Caitlyn will take you through the Fast 12 (a reminder that the top 12 qualifiers are all awarded points today), Dan will then cover you for Last Chance Qualifying, whilst Archie will round out the day with the Fast 6.
Comments