INDYCAR postpones 110th Indy 500 qualifying

INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway postponed Day One qualifying for the 110th Indianapolis 500 on Saturday after persistent rain at the Speedway, Indiana track, and moved the full program to Sunday. The revised schedule keeps the field-setting runs, the Top 12 round and the Firestone Fast Six, but drops the newly added Final 15 session that had been announced earlier in the week. All 33 entered cars remain guaranteed starters because the entry list matches the traditional Indy 500 field size. Live coverage begins Sunday with split-group practice at 9:30 a.m. ET and qualifying at noon, INDYCAR said. ### Why did the format change from the one INDYCAR announced earlier this week? INDYCAR said Saturday’s rainout left too little time on Sunday to run every round in the expanded format first outlined on May 11. Under that earlier plan, the fastest nine cars from Day One would have advanced directly to the Top 12, while cars ranked 10th through 15th would have competed in a Final 15 round for the last three Top 12 spots. (indycar.com) Sunday’s abbreviated plan replaces that two-day structure with one full-field qualifying session for all 33 cars, using Friday’s qualifying draw order. Initial runs will now set positions 13 through 33, and the fastest 12 will move straight into the Top 12 round at about 4:30 p.m., according to INDYCAR. ### How will the grid now be set on Sunday? (indycar.com) At noon ET Sunday, all 33 qualifiers will get one attempt to post a traditional four-lap average speed, INDYCAR said. Those first runs will determine the back 21 positions on the grid, from 13th through 33rd. In the Top 12 session, the running order will be reversed from the speeds recorded in those initial attempts, with 12th-fastest going first and the quickest car from the opening round going last. (indycar.com) The six slowest cars in that round will fill positions seven through 12 based on their times, and the fastest six will advance to the Firestone Fast Six to decide the first two rows and pole position. The fastest driver in the Firestone Fast Six will earn the NTT P1 Award, pole position and a $100,000 prize, INDYCAR said when it outlined the qualifying procedure. ### What happens to championship points and tickets? INDYCAR said championship points still will be awarded to the 12 drivers who reach the Top 12 session. (indycar.com) Pole position is worth 12 points, second place 11, and the scale continues by one-point increments down to one point for 12th. Saturday tickets and paid parking will be honored Sunday, INDYCAR said. (indycar.com) The series added that suite and hospitality tickets from Saturday will provide general admission access only on Sunday, and suite and hospitality parking from Saturday will not be valid. ### Why isn’t there a bump-day fight this year? There are 33 entries for the 2026 Indianapolis 500, matching the 33-car starting field, INDYCAR said in its entry list release. (indycar.com) That means every entered car will start next Sunday’s race, even though qualifying still determines the full starting order and the pole winner. The 2026 field includes nine past Indianapolis 500 winners and five series champions, according to INDYCAR. (indycar.com) Defending race winner Alex Palou is back, along with two-time winner Josef Newgarden, four-time winner Helio Castroneves and 2008 winner Scott Dixon. ### When is the race and what should fans watch next? The Indianapolis Motor Speedway lists the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge for Sunday, May 24, 2026. (indycar.com) INDYCAR said Race Day coverage will begin at 10 a.m. ET, with the green flag scheduled for 12:45 p.m. Sunday’s next milestones are split-group practice at 9:30 a.m. (indycar.com) ET, qualifying at noon ET, the Top 12 round at about 4:30 p.m. and the Firestone Fast Six after that, according to INDYCAR’s updated schedule. (indycar.com) (indianapolismotorspeedway.com)