Álex Palou starts Indy 500 from pole

Álex Palou will start the Indianapolis 500 from pole after winning qualifying for the 110th running of the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 17. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver is also the defending Indy 500 winner, which puts him at the front of Sunday’s field as he tries to repeat at the Brickyard. Indianapolis Motor Speedway said Palou is the first reigning race winner to take pole since Helio Castroneves did it in 2010. The race is scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 24, with 33 drivers set to run 200 laps. ### How fast was Palou, and who starts with him? Palou won the pole with a four-lap average speed of 232.248 mph in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, according to IndyCar. The pole came with the NTT P1 Award and a $100,000 bonus, the series said. Alexander Rossi and David Malukas will join Palou on the front row, according to the published starting grid. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) IndyStar’s lineup report and IndyCar’s race page both listed Rossi second and Malukas third for Sunday’s start. ### Why is this pole notable beyond the front-row spot? (indycar.com) Indianapolis Motor Speedway said this is Palou’s second career Indy 500 pole and his first since 2023, both with Chip Ganassi Racing. The speedway also said Palou is the only Spanish driver to win the pole for the race. The same IMS field notes said car No. 10 has now won the Indianapolis 500 pole four times, with the previous one also coming in 2023 with Palou. (indystar.com) IMS said Palou finished fourth in that 2023 race after starting first. ### What exactly is on the line Sunday in Indianapolis? The 110th Indianapolis 500 will send 33 drivers over 200 laps on the 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) The winner takes the Borg-Warner Trophy in one of U.S. motorsport’s signature events. Sunday’s green flag is set for 12:45 p.m. ET, according to race previews published this week. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) IndyStar and other preview reports listed the date as May 24, the day before Memorial Day. ### What happened on Carb Day before the race? (indycar.com) Friday, May 22, was Miller Lite Carb Day at the speedway, the annual final-practice day before the race. Indianapolis Motor Speedway said the program included final practice for the Indy 500, the Pit Stop Competition and the second annual Oscar Mayer Wienie 500. (indystar.com) Counting Crows headlined the Carb Day concert and Switchfoot opened the show, according to announcements from IMS and IndyCar in March. IndyStar also reported ahead of the event that the six Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles would race again at the track on Carb Day. ### Where can readers check the full lineup before the start? (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) IndyCar has published the full starting grid for the 110th Indianapolis 500 on its event page and in a downloadable lineup sheet. Those listings include each driver’s team, engine and qualifying average. Sunday, May 24, is the next marker on the schedule, with Palou leading the field to green at 12:45 p.m. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) ET at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Rossi and Malukas will start alongside him on the front row. (indycar.com)