Josef Newgarden shocked as Indy 500 Fast 12 is finalized; Palou wins pole
Qualifying for the 110th Indianapolis 500 took place Sunday, May 17th after Saturday's rain washed out the original schedule. Two-time Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden had a disappointing day, finishing 24th with an average speed of 230 point 165 miles per hour, roughly one point five miles per hour slower than his Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin. The Fast 12 shootout advanced twelve drivers including Felix Rosenqvist, David Malukas, Scott Dixon, and defending champion Alex Palou. The bottom six of that group filled positions 7 through 12 on the starting grid. Palou ultimately claimed pole position with an average speed of 232 point 248 miles per hour in the Fast Six shootout. Newgarden will start 24th next Sunday and must make up considerable ground to contend for his third Indy 500 victory.
Key facts
- Josef Newgarden qualified 24th with a speed of 230.165 mph, missing the Fast 12 shootout
- Alex Palou won pole position with a speed of 232.248 mph in the Fast Six shootout
- Saturday qualifying was postponed to Sunday due to heavy rain
- The Fast 12 included 12 drivers competing for positions 1-12 on the grid
- No drivers were bumped from the field as exactly 33 cars qualified and 33 spots existed
Limits of this briefing
This story is purely sports journalism without political dimension. No left-leaning, centrist, or right-leaning outlets were found covering this event with distinct ideological framings, as it is not a politically polarized topic.
Sources
- Motorsport.com: Indy 500 Fast 12 set as Josef Newgarden struggles in qualifying surprise Centre
- Pit Debrief: 2026 Indy 500 IndyCar Sunday Qualifying Results Centre
- Frontstretch: 2026 Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Live Report Centre
- NBC Sports: UPDATED: Starting lineup for the 2026 Indy 500 after two qualifying inspection failures Centre
- RacingNews365: Adjusted 2026 Indy 500 qualifying results after double disqualification Centre