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Alex Palou starts his Indianapolis 500 title from the pole after taking the top spot in qualifying
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Alex Palou starts his Indianapolis 500 title from the pole after taking the top spot in qualifying

  • By MICHAEL MAROT - AP Sports Writer
  • Updated

Alex Palou had his best qualifying attempt on his final four-lap run Sunday and took his second career Indianapolis 500 pole with an average speed of 232.248 mph. He’s the first defending champion to claim the No. 1 starting spot since 2010. Palou also is the only starter on this year’s traditional 33-car starting grid with a qualifying average topping 232 mph. Alexander Rossi will start a career-best second after going 231.990. He’ll start between Palou and Team Penske driver David Malukas on the front row. Malukas went 231.877. Felix Rosenqvist was in position to become Indy’s first pole-winner from Sweden after he posted the fastest averages in the first two rounds of qualifying. But he finished the final round of qualifying at 231.375 and will start fourth.

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AP

Felix Rosenqvist, Scott McLaughlin reach the top of Indianapolis 500 speed charts on Fast Friday

  • By MICHAEL MAROT - AP Sports Writer

Felix Rosenqvist took advantage of the friendly, late afternoon weather conditions to reach the top of the Indianapolis 500 speed charts on Fast Friday. Scott McLaughlin needed just seven laps in the middle of the afternoon to send his message on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s iconic 2.5-mile oval — Team Penske intends to reclaim the pole. Rosenqvist posted the fastest lap of the day, 233.372 mph though it came with a tow, and the fastest four-lap average, 232.828 in the final practice before qualifying. But it was McLaughlin who waited through the two-hour rain delay and two more hours of inactivity before turning heads with the fastest no-tow lap of the week, 232.674, and the second fastest four-lap average, 232.572.