INDIANAPOLIS -- The field for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is set after a busy weekend of qualifying at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Rookie Robert Shwartzman captured the pole, surprising just about everyone. His 232.790 mph run in the Firestone Fast 6 propelled him past two-time winner Takuma Sato.
Sato, Pato O'Ward, Scott Dixon, Felix Rosenqvist and Alex Palou rounded out the top six.
Team Penske drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power had their cars moved to the back of the field after originally qualifying in the top 12. Both cars failed inspections during qualifying, however, and IndyCar moved them into the 32nd and 33rd spots as punishment.
This year’s field includes eight past winners: Newgarden (2023, 2024), Marcus Ericsson (2022), Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021), Dixon (2008), Power (2018), Alexander Rossi (2016), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014) and Sato (2017, 2020).
