Power qualifies on Row 4 for Indy 500, Dixon sets pace ahead of Fast Six

Will Power has qualified 11th for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 while Scott Dixon is the man to beat in the Fast Six.

Under the new-for-2022 format, Pole Day became a two-part affair as the top 12 from the opening day of qualifying battled for the right to be among six fighting for the front row of the grid at the Brickyard.

Now locked into Rows 3 and 4 for next weekend’s race are McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward in seventh, his team-mate Felix Rosenqvist in eighth, then Romain Grosjean (Andretti Autosport), Takuma Sato (Dale Coyne Racing w/ RWR), Power (Team Penske), and Jimmie Johnson (Chip Ganassi Racing), the latter of whom had a big scare at Turn 1 on the first lap of his run.

Through to the Fast Six, are four of the five Ganassi Hondas, with Dixon quickest, Alex Palou third, Marcus Ericsson fourth, and Tony Kanaan sixth.

The other two are both from the Chevrolet-powered Ed Carpenter Racing stable, namely Saturday fast man Rinus VeeKay with the second-best Fast 12 time and Ed Carpenter himself, who was fifth-fastest.

Sato (#51 Honda) was first out for the Fast 12 and set a four-lap average of 231.670mph (372.837km/h).

Power (#12 Chevrolet) twice nearly got the wall exiting Turn 1 but was still looking good to beat Sato until a fourth-lap 230.500mph (370.954km/h) saw his run average drop to 231.534mph (372.618km/h).

Dixon (#9 Honda) had set the pace in the day’s earlier practice session on both single-lap speeds and four-lap runs, and was quick again.

The 2008 Indy 500 winner’s first lap was a 233.907mph (376.437km/h) and he only dropped below 232mph on his fourth lap, clocking an average of 233.510mph (375.798km/h).

Neither Grosjean (#28 Honda) nor Ericsson (#8 Honda) could beat it, although the latter gave it a good shake.

Then Carpenter (#33 Chevrolet) blazed to a 234.244mph (376.979km/h) on his first lap, but it was an inconsistent run which ended with an average of 233.073mph (375.095km/h), for third position out of six at the time.

Johnson (#48 Honda) was next, but was on the back foot immediately when he understeered towards the Turn 1 wall then slid off the corner on exit.

That first lap was only a 229.911mph (370.006km/h) and while he recovered somewhat, it was not by enough to beat anyone before him as he set a four-lap speed of 231.264mph (372.183km/h).

The other two Ganassi cars were next, Kanaan (#1 Honda) putting in a run of 233.022mph (375.013km/h) before Palou (#10 Honda) booked his place in the Fast Six with a 233.347mph (375.536km/h) average.

Third-last out was McLaren SP’s Rosenqvist (#7 Chevrolet), who set a 232.182mph (373.661km/h) which earned him sixth with two cars to go and brought an end to Grosjean’s afternoon.

Rosenqvist was out of the Fast Six when team-mate O’Ward (#5 Chevrolet) set an average of 232.705mph (374.502km/h), although that left the Mexican on the bubble with VeeKay (#21 Chevrolet) to come.

The Dutchman was a serious threat to Dixon with a 234.099mph (376.746km/h) first lap, and the next two in the 233s, but his four-lap average was just shy of the New Zealander’s at 233.429mph (375.668km/h).

The Fast Six starts shortly, live and ad-free on Stan Sport.

Results: Fast 12