Drivers finish final practice session on Carb Day
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Memorial Day weekend is finally here, and the drivers are finishing up their preparation for race day on Sunday.
Friday is Carb Day and marked the final practice session for drivers before the Indianapolis 500.
Scott Dixon had the fastest lap speed of the day at just over 227 mph. The six-time IndyCar Series champion and 2008 Indy 500 winner will start 21st on Sunday. He’ll look to get his second win and tack on to his record 665 laps leading the race.
News 8 Sports’ driver analyst Graham Rahal was the most active on the track on Friday. He completed the most laps, with 106 trips around the oval in the two-hour practice window. His fastest lap of the day was 224.353 mph, the 17th-fastest among the drivers.
Rahal will join News 8’s sports director Anthony Calhoun live on WISH-TV from the track at 6:20 p.m. Friday.
2023 Indy 500 champion Josef Newgarden was not pushing the pace during practice on Friday. He had the second-slowest lap speed of the day at 222.8 mph. If he wins again on Sunday, he’ll become the first driver to win in back-to-back years since Hélio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002. He’s starting the race third.
Kyle Larson was the 13th fastest driver on the track on Friday. He’s trying to successfully complete “The Double,” all 1,100 miles of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. If he does, he’ll be only the second driver to every do it, joining Tony Stewart. Larson was excellent in qualifying. He’ll start fifth on Sunday, the best of any Indy 500 rookie.
The 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 is set for Sunday, May 26th at 12:45 p.m., barring any changes due to weather.