Fastest Qualifying Lap at Indy 500 is held by Arie Luyendyk with a speed of 236.986 mph. Luyendyk achieved the feat on May 12, 1996.
Spanish racing driver Alex Palou set the highest speed of 234.217 mph in the 2023 qualifying lap, followed by Rinus VeeKay at 234.211 mph.
Indy 500 is deemed one of the world's most esteemed racing sports, with a rich history dating back to 1911. It takes place in Speedway, Indiana.
The qualifying lap is an important part of the Indianapolis 500 race because it determines the starting positions for the race. Drivers compete in four-lap time trials, with the fastest lap being counted as their qualifying time.
Once the qualifying rounds are completed, the Indy 500 starting grid is determined based on the qualifying times each driver achieves. The fastest qualifier starts in the pole position, and the remaining drivers line up in descending order of their average qualifying speeds.
Starting Grid For 2023 Indy 500
Indianapolis 500 starting grid 2023 is listed below:
- Alex Palou - 234.217 mph
- Rinus VeeKay - 234.211 mph
- Felix Rosenqvist - 234.114 mph
- Santino Ferrucci - 233.798 mph
- Pato O'Ward - 233.158 mph
- Scott Dixon - 233.151 mph
- Alexander Rossi - 233.110 mph
- Takuma Sato - 233.098 mph
- Tony Kanaan - 233.076 mph
- Marcus Ericsson - 232.889 mph
- Benjamin Pedersen - 232.671 mph
- Will Power - 232.635 mph
The highly anticipated 2023 Indianapolis 500 is slated to take place on 28 May 2023 at the legendary confines of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Held on the weekend on May 21, the fast 6 round gave the Indy 500 qualifying results, which determined positions 1 to 6 for the race. The 26-year-old Spanish racer Alex Palou came out on top with a lighting speed of 234.217 mph (376.936 km/h).
Palou snatched the lead spot in the pole position for the 107th Indianapolis 500 race while also setting a new high-speed pole record, besting 234.046 mph set by Scott Dixon in 2022.
Dutch racing driver Rinus VeeKay, who drove Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing, closely followed him to the runner-up place, maintaining an average four-lap speed of 234.211 miles per hour.
Felix Rosenqvist from Sweden takes up the third position in the Indy 500 lineup 2023 as he recorded a speed of 234.114 mph at the Indy 500 fast 6 sessions. Rosenqvist will line up in the outside grid of Row 1.
Similarly, the second row begins with American racing driver Santino Ferrucci, who pulled 233.798 mph in qualifying on the inside. Mexican racer Pato O'Ward in the middle row and the 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon will be in the outside position.
Alexander Rossi, who conquered the 2016 Indianapolis 500 miles race, will position himself in inside of Row Three. Rossi had an average speed of 233.110 mph in the qualifying lap, just some seconds faster than another past winner Takuma Sato.
Sato, the Japanese native who astride No 11 Honda for the Chip Ganassi Racing team, managed a speed of 233.098 mph. Takuma is also a two-time champion of the competition.
Each driver's starting position in row 4 sets the stage for their race strategies and potential challenges. They will have to navigate through the field of drivers, making tactical decisions to gain positions and contend for victory cometh May 28.
Marcus Ericsson will start from the inside position while Benjamin Pedersen occupies the middle ground, and lastly, Will Power will begin the race from the outside position.
Indy 500 Past Winners
List of Indianapolis 500 winners:
- Marcus Ericsson - 2022
- Helio Castroneves - 2021
- Takuma Sato - 2020
- Simon Pagenaud - 2019
- Will Power - 2018
- Takuma Sato - 2017
- Alexander Rossi - 2016
- Juan Pablo Montoya - 2015
- Ryan Hunter-Reay - 2014
- Tony Kanaan - 2013
- Dario Franchitti - 2012
- Dan Wheldon - 2011
- Dario Franchitti - 2010
Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson won his first Indy 500 racing tourney in 2022. Ericsson made history by becoming the second Swedish driver ever to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, following Kenny Bräck's victory in 1999.
Marcus mounted No. 8 Dallara DW12-Honda for the Chip Ganassi Racing finishing 200 laps and circling the distance of 500 miles in 2 hours 51 minutes, 0 seconds, and 6432 milliseconds with an average speed of 175.428 mph.
Emerging from Sau Paulo, Brazil, Helio Castroneves solidified his standing as the foremost champion in history, etching his legacy atop the 500 Miles Indianapolis winners roster with a commanding triumph in 2021.
Since his debut in the early 2000s, Castroneves has partaken in 300 races in the Indy Car Series, winning the ultimate prize four times.
Following a back-to-back victory in 2001 and 2002, he had to wait another seven years till 2009 to tie with legendary racing drivers Johnny Rutherford and Mauri Rose.
In 2021, Helio Castroneves achieved his fourth victory in the Indianapolis 500. He raced with the No. 06 Dallara DW12-Honda car for the Meyer Shank Racing team and reached an impressive average speed of 190.690 miles per hour.
Takuma Sato shattered barriers in the racing world in the 2017 spectacle as he defied the odds and emerged victorious, becoming the pioneering Asian racing driver to conquer the hallowed grounds of the Indy 500.
Three years later, in 2020, Sato grabbed his second Indianapolis 500 when he drove the No. 30 Dallara DW12-Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan's team.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Track Record
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a 2.5 miles rounded rectangle race track in Speedway, Indiana, United States.
The track was constructed in 1909 and has been used for racing ever since. It is placed among the most challenging tracks in the world due to its high speeds and long straightaways.
IMS has a rich history, with its first race in 1911, and in 1996, the first IndyCar race was held at the Speedway.
The Indianapolis 500, often cited as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," covers a distance of 500 miles (805 km) and consists of 200 laps around the 2.5-mile (4.0 km) oval track.
The very first race was won by Ray Harroun way back in 1911. Meanwhile, the most recent race winner is Marcus Ericsson, a Swedish driver who claimed victory in 2022.
Regarding success at the Indianapolis 500, certain drivers and teams have left a memorable dent in the record books. AJ Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears, and Hélio Castroneves are the most successful drivers in the race's history, each securing four victories.
Likewise, Team Penske, the renowned auto racing organization, holds the record for the most wins by a team at the Indianapolis 500, with 18 victories.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway route features a smooth asphalt surface, and its four turns provide a challenging and thrilling experience for drivers and fans alike.
The lap record at the Speedway stands at 37.895 seconds, achieved by Arie Luyendyk in 1996, with an average speed of 237.498 mph (382.182 km/h).
Weather For Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2023
The 2023 Indianapolis motor speedway weather forecast:
May 26
- Friday - High of 76 and sunny skies. 11 to 13mph, with gusts up to 20mph
- Friday night - Larely clear with lows near 51 degrees
May 27
- Saturday - Sunnyday with highs in the 80s
- Saturday Night - Cloudy with a low around 56
May 28 Race Day
- Sunday - High near 82, mostly sunny
- Sunday night - Slightly cloudy with a low of 58 degrees
May 29 Memorial Day
- Monday - Sunny with highs around 85
The stage is set for an unforgettable weekend for the eminent race as Mother Nature prepares to grace the iconic race with her finest weather.
As May 26 dawns, the weather will be perfect for racing. On Friday, it will be sunny, with a high of 76 degrees and a gentle breeze. Friday night will be clear and cool, with a low of 51.
Saturday will be mostly sunny and even warmer, with a high of 80. Saturday night will have a few clouds and a low of 56.
On Sunday, the day of the main event will continue the sunny trend with a high of 82, and Sunday night will be partly gloomy with a low of 58. Finally, Memorial Day will be sunny and hot, with a high of 85. Enjoy the race and the beautiful weather.
