Palou, Penske Lead Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Amid Crashes, Herta Makes Field

Alex Palou posted the fastest qualifying time for the Indianapolis 500, narrowly edging out Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden in challenging windy conditions. Palou, who has won four of the five races this season, leads the Fast 12 group that will compete for the pole position, while positions 13 through 30 are locked in, with drivers like Colton Herta and Graham Rahal securing their spots despite Herta's earlier major crash. Rookie Robert Shwartzman impressed by qualifying sixth despite never having raced on an oval before and his team lacking oval experience. The qualifying session saw intense competition, including a last-minute effort by Conor Daly that left him just shy of the Fast 12, pushing Marco Andretti and others into the Bump Day shootout for the final spots. The session was marked by high drama and risk, with multiple crashes but no serious injuries, reflecting the challenging nature of Indy 500 qualifying. The final starting grid will be decided on Sunday, with drivers in the bottom four fighting for the last three spots in the field.