Indy 500 Fast Friday practice May 15

INDYCAR teams reached the final practice day before Indianapolis 500 qualifying on Friday, when cars at Indianapolis Motor Speedway received the extra turbocharger boost used for qualifying trim. The session, known as Fast Friday, ran from noon to 6 p.m. Eastern at the 2.5-mile oval, according to the speedway schedule. The added power typically produces the quickest laps of practice week and gives teams their closest read yet on single-car qualifying pace. Rain delayed the start of track activity Friday, and INDYCAR said track drying was underway after the weather interruption. ### Why is Fast Friday different from the first three practice days? Indianapolis Motor Speedway said Fast Friday is the final practice before Armed Forces Qualifying and that cars receive a turbocharger boost to reach the speeds they will run during the next two days of qualifying. The track said laps can be even quicker when drivers run in larger packs. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) Pato O’Ward entered the day after leading Thursday practice for Arrow McLaren at 227.308 mph, according to INDYCAR. Conor Daly had produced the fastest speed of the week a day earlier at 228.080 mph, Indianapolis Motor Speedway said. Those figures came before Friday’s qualifying boost was added. ### What did weather do to the schedule on May 15? (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) INDYCAR posted Friday that rain had delayed the start of Fast Friday practice and that track drying was underway at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The series said fans should watch for weather and schedule updates. WIBC, citing the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, reported that rain and thunderstorms could affect qualifying weekend, with the highest chances expected Saturday afternoon. (indycar.com) Another WIBC report earlier in the week said forecasters were tracking elevated rain chances from Friday through the weekend. ### How does qualifying work this year? (indycar.com) INDYCAR said it expanded the qualifying procedure for the 110th Indianapolis 500, adding another Sunday round. Day One on Saturday, May 16, runs from 11 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. ET and sets positions 16 through 33, while the fastest nine cars from Saturday are locked into Sunday’s Top 12 session. (wibc.com) Cars ranked 10th through 15th on Saturday advance to a new Final 15 round on Sunday, May 17. INDYCAR said those six cars will fight for the final three spots in the Top 12, after which the Top 12 session will determine positions seven through 12 and the fastest six will move on to the Firestone Fast Six for pole. The pole winner also receives a $100,000 prize, INDYCAR said. (indycar.com) J. Douglas Boles, president of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said in the series announcement that the expanded format would add “another layer” to qualifying weekend and that all rounds would air on FOX. FOX Sports said its qualifying coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET on both Saturday and Sunday. ### What does Friday night set up at the speedway? (indycar.com) Indianapolis Motor Speedway scheduled the qualification draw for 6:15 p.m. Friday in Pagoda Plaza. That draw sets the order for Saturday’s qualifying runs. The speedway listed gates open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, with cars on track scheduled from noon to 6 p.m. (indycar.com) IMS also said paid parking for Fast Friday was available in selected lots, while the broader Month of May calendar lists qualifying on May 16 and May 17 and a post-qualifying practice on May 18. ### When is the Indianapolis 500 itself? (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) INDYCAR lists the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 for Sunday, May 24, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. The event page shows prerace coverage beginning at 10 a.m. ET and the race broadcast at 12:30 p.m. ET. FOX Sports separately said it will carry the race and expanded prerace coverage on FOX and FOX One. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) Monday, May 18, is the next on-track practice after qualifying weekend, according to the event schedule. Carb Day final practice follows on May 22 before the field returns for Race Day on May 24. (indycar.com)