Indianapolis 500 starting grid set

IndyStar reported on Friday, May 22, that the starting grid for the 2026 Indianapolis 500 had been finalized for Sunday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The lineup locks in the 33-car field for the 110th running of the event, with pole position already decided in qualifying earlier in the week. IndyStar’s package paired the grid with betting odds and expert picks as teams moved into final preparations for race day. (indystar.com) The race is scheduled for Sunday, May 24. (nbcsports.com) ### Who starts at the front of the field? Alex Palou will lead the field to green after winning pole for Chip Ganassi Racing with a four-lap qualifying average of 232.248 mph. (indycar.com) NBC Sports reported that Palou, the defending Indianapolis 500 winner, beat Alexander Rossi at 231.990 mph and David Malukas at 231.877 mph to secure the top spot. USA Today’s Motorsports Wire and other lineup reports listed Palou, Rossi and Malukas on the front row, setting the first three positions for Sunday’s start. The official Indianapolis 500 event page lists the starting grid for the 110th running and confirms the field composition for race day. (indystar.com) ### Why did Saturday matter if qualifying was already over? May 23 mattered because the grid had moved from qualifying result to race-ready lineup in broad pre-race coverage. IndyStar’s story published the finalized order, printable lineup details, odds and picks, giving fans and bettors a single race-eve reference point ahead of the May 24 start. (nbcsports.com) The Indianapolis Motor Speedway event page had already posted the official starting grid earlier in the week, but Saturday’s attention centered on the fact that no further lineup uncertainty remained before the race. That left teams focused on setup, traffic management and final checks rather than position battles. (motorsportswire.usatoday.com) ### Which drivers are part of the main pre-race storyline? Scott McLaughlin entered the weekend as one of the central Team Penske storylines after last year’s pre-race crash at Indianapolis. The Associated Press reported on May 23 that McLaughlin had spent the past 12 months trying to erase what he called the “worst memory” of his life and arrived at this year’s race intent on changing that narrative. (indystar.com) Will Power and Josef Newgarden also remained part of the Penske focus in pre-race coverage. The AP said former winners including Power and Newgarden were among the event’s biggest names, while IndyStar’s odds package identified Penske entries among the drivers drawing betting attention before Sunday. (indycar.com) ### What did final practice show before the race? Josef Newgarden was fastest in Carb Day practice on Friday, posting the quickest lap in the final on-track session before the race. IndyStar’s practice report said the two-time winner topped the speed chart, while Yahoo Sports noted that Alexander Rossi returned to the track after his Monday crash. (apnews.com) WTHR also reported that Carb Day went ahead with final practice and related festivities at the speedway. The session did not change the starting order, but it provided the last public speed read before the field lines up on Sunday. (apnews.com) ### Where can readers find the full lineup before the green flag? IndyStar published the full starting grid, odds and expert picks in its May 22 lineup package. The official IndyCar event page for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 also lists the complete starting grid and race information for Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (indystar.com) Sunday, May 24, is the next key date, when Palou will start from pole and the 33-car field will take the green flag for the 110th Indianapolis 500. Team Penske’s McLaughlin, Power and Newgarden, along with front-row starters Rossi and Malukas, are among the named drivers in the final lineup. (indycar.com) (indystar.com) (wthr.com)