Josef Newgarden tops Carb Day practice

Josef Newgarden put Team Penske back on top of the speed chart in the final Indianapolis 500 practice on Friday, the last on-track session before Sunday’s race. IndyCar said Newgarden was fastest in Miller Lite Carb Day practice in the No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet. The session served as the final tune-up for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Scott Dixon, driving the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, completed a session-high 96 laps, according to IndyCar. ### Why did Friday’s practice matter if qualifying was already over? Friday’s Carb Day session was the last chance for teams to run race setups before the Indianapolis 500. IndyCar said Newgarden, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, topped the final practice even though he is due to start 23rd in the 33-car field on Sunday. Qualifying had already set the grid, with Alex Palou on pole and Newgarden deeper in the field, but Carb Day is used to check balance in traffic, fuel runs and final setup changes before race day. Indianapolis Motor Speedway lists the race for Sunday, May 24, as the 110th running of the event. (indycar.com) ### What exactly did Newgarden do in the session? Josef Newgarden drove the No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet to the fastest lap of the session, IndyCar reported. IndyStar also reported that Newgarden topped the Carb Day practice leaderboard, extending Team Penske’s strong late-week pace at the speedway. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) The IndyCar report identified Newgarden as the quickest driver in the final tune-up before the race. The same report noted that he enters Sunday as the winner of the previous two Indianapolis 500s, adding another layer of attention to his pace despite his mid-pack starting position. ### Who else stood out besides the fastest car? (indycar.com) Scott Dixon stood out for workload as much as speed. IndyCar said Dixon completed 96 laps in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, the most by any driver in the session. That lap total pointed to a full final check of race trim for Chip Ganassi Racing before Sunday. (indycar.com) IndyCar’s event coverage also continued to feature Dixon among the experienced contenders entering the race weekend. ### Does topping Carb Day make Newgarden the favorite? Team Penske had the fastest car in final practice, but Carb Day results do not change the starting order. (indycar.com) Newgarden still is scheduled to roll off 23rd on Sunday, which means he will need to work through traffic over 500 miles if he is to win again. FOX Sports’ event coverage lists Alex Palou on pole for the race, with Alexander Rossi and David Malukas also near the front of the grid. (indycar.com) That leaves Newgarden’s Friday speed as one data point heading into race day rather than a reset of the field. ### What happens next at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? (indycar.com) Indianapolis Motor Speedway lists Saturday, May 23, as Legends Day, with autograph sessions and other pre-race events at the track. Sunday, May 24, is race day for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. (foxsports.com) FOX Sports said coverage of the Indianapolis 500 begins at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday. The race is scheduled at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, with the full field of 33 set to take the green flag after the final practice week concluded Friday. (foxsports.com) (indianapolismotorspeedway.com)