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Alex Palou Builds Momentum with Fastest Lap on Indy Opening Day
Highlights
- Alex Palou fixed car balance, not mechanical issues
- Palou posted fastest lap at 225.937 mph Tuesday
- Marcus Armstrong second fastest; Conor Daly third fastest
- Alexander Rossi completed most laps with 116 circuits
- Practice continues Wednesday noon to 6 p.m. ET
- Indianapolis 500 race set for Sunday, May 24
Alex Palou sets the early benchmark for the 110th Indianapolis 500, topping Tuesday’s opening practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after resolving a balance issue, not a mechanical fault.
The reigning Indy 500 winner pauses running with under two hours left, fearing a problem. A 90-minute evaluation identifies imbalance, and the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda returns sharper.
Palou’s best lap, 225.937 mph, arrives in the final 15 minutes on his first run after the extended pit stop, underscoring the effectiveness of the balance change.
“It wasn’t mechanical. We fixed the balance, and the rhythm came back.” — Alex Palou
He completes only 28 laps, among the fewest on the day, yet leaves satisfied. He is also evaluating a different chassis from both the Open Test and last season’s oval campaigns.
Marcus Armstrong holds provisional P1 for much of the session, ending second at 225.895 mph in the No. 66 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian. Conor Daly takes third at 225.838 mph for DRR.
Penske’s Josef Newgarden posts 225.121 mph for fourth in the No. 2 Chevrolet, with Scott Dixon fifth at 225.087 mph for Chip Ganassi Racing. Ganassi’s breadth looks encouraging from the outset.
Tow effects skew headline speeds, but the no-tow list offers clarity. Kyle Kirkwood leads that metric at 222.062 mph in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda for Andretti Global.
Kyle Kirkwood tops the no-tow chart at 222.062 mph, a strong indicator of raw pace.
Will Power, the 2018 Indy 500 winner, ranks second among no-tow laps at 221.455 mph. Jack Harvey is third at 220.853 mph in the No. 24 DRR INVST Chevrolet, continuing his Open Test form.
All 33 entries log mileage on a sunny day in the mid-to-upper 70s. The field completes 1,996 laps, vital banked data with evolving conditions and traffic behavior.
Alexander Rossi records a day-high 116 laps in the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing, prioritizing long-run understanding and procedural drills.
Alexander Rossi completes a field-leading 116 laps to anchor ECR’s data gathering.
Practice continues Wednesday from noon to 6 p.m. ET on FS2 and FS1. The race is scheduled for Sunday, May 24 at 10 a.m. ET, with Palou signaling early authority amid a tight pack.
Visual Summary
🏎️
➡️
Alex Palou
225.937 mph (Fastest Lap)
225.937 mph (Fastest Lap)
Into the pits with doubts – out with confidence and fastest lap.
Palou bounces back after a balance scare, setting the tone for Indy 500 week.
1st
Palou
225.937 mph
225.937 mph
2nd
Armstrong
225.895 mph
225.895 mph
3rd
Daly
225.838 mph
225.838 mph
All 33 entries ran on a perfect day (nearly 2,000 laps!) — Alexander Rossi led the mileage marathon with 116 laps.
Practice continues Wednesday → Indy 500 starts May 24!
Brian Thompson focuses on IndyCar Series news, from qualifying speeds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to street-course race strategy. He delivers concise feature stories and technical breakdowns on chassis setups, tire choices, and championship standings for open-wheel enthusiasts.
