Prepare for maybe essentially the most thrilling qualifying weekend in all of motorsports.
Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500.
Over two days at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 34 entries will push their vehicles, and themselves, to the restrict, making an attempt to safe a spot within the area of 33. With 34 vehicles vying for simply 33 spots, by the top of the day Sunday, one automotive can be left on the surface wanting in.
Right here is how qualifying for the 109th Indianapolis 500 works.
Full-field Qualifying
Saturday, Could 17
11:00 a.m. till 5:50 p.m. Japanese
Qualifying begins on Saturday with all the area taking to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hoping to guide one of many 30 spots out there. Solely the Prime 30 spots are solidified on Saturday for the sector of 33. Automobiles that qualify outdoors the Prime 30 are thought of to be with out a qualification pace and can wait till Sunday for an opportunity to clinch a spot within the area of 33.
Forward of Day 1 {qualifications}, a blind draw takes place to find out the order for the primary runs. Listed below are the outcomes of this 12 months’s draw:
Every automotive is allowed two warmup laps earlier than their timed qualification laps, though a 3rd warmup lap is allowed on the race director’s discretion.
A qualifying try consists of 4 timed laps, with the combination time recorded because the official qualifying time for the automotive, however it’s their common pace over the 4 timed laps that determines their place.
As soon as every automotive within the order has been given an opportunity to qualify, two lanes are shaped on pit lane. Groups could select from one of many two lanes for his or her subsequent, and any subsequent, qualifying try. Lane 1 is deemed the “precedence lane,” and vehicles on this lane get precedence entry to the monitor forward of Lane 2.
Nonetheless, vehicles in Lane 1 should withdraw any earlier qualifying pace to realize precedence entry.
Automobiles in Lane 2 have already certified however merely want to enhance their place.
It’s right here that we should always be aware that vehicles qualify for the Indianapolis 500, not drivers. That implies that if a specific driver is injured forward of the race itself, another person can slide into their automotive, even when they didn’t qualify themselves in one other automotive.
When this primary session involves a detailed, the Prime 30 are set. The vehicles that end between 13-30 on this session are locked into the Indianapolis 500 with a beginning place secured. The Prime 12 vehicles are nonetheless within the operating for pole place, whereas the underside 4 usually are not but secure. With 34 entries for the 109th Indianapolis 500, the 4 slowest will attempt to safe one of many last three spots in Final Likelihood Qualifying on Sunday.
Prime 12 Qualifying
Sunday, Could 18
4:05 p.m. till 5:05 p.m. Japanese
Sunday is when all the area is about, and one workforce will get some dangerous information.
It begins with the primary of three classes, the Prime 12 Qualifying, shortly after 4:00 p.m. Japanese. The Prime 12 vehicles from Saturday’s Full-Subject Qualifying take to the monitor, with one of many six spots within the Firestone Quick Six on the road.
The vehicles will take to the monitor within the order based mostly on Saturday’s outcomes, beginning with the slowest automotive and constructing to the quickest. The quickest six vehicles advance to the Firestone Quick Six to find out the highest six spots on the grid, whereas the slowest six vehicles fill out spots 7-12.
Final Likelihood Qualifying
Sunday, Could 18
5:15 p.m. till 6:15 p.m. Japanese
The underside 4 vehicles from Saturday’s Full-Subject Qualifying session take to the monitor for Final Likelihood Qualifying, with the final three spots on the grid out there. Every automotive is assured one try, and a number of makes an attempt are allowed till the clock expires.
Till ten minutes are remaining within the session, an additional cool-down lap is allowed following every qualifying run, to assist engine cooling.
Every automotive’s newest qualification pace is eligible for the beginning lineup till that point is withdrawn or the clock expires.
With 34 vehicles within the area, this implies one automotive goes to be eradicated by the top of Final Likelihood Qualifying.
Firestone Quick Six
Sunday, Could 18
6:25 p.m. till 6:55 p.m. Japanese
The weekend builds to this session, when pole place for the 109th Indianapolis 500 is decided.
The quickest six drivers from the Prime 12 Qualifying session are every assured one try at a qualifying run. The order is decided based mostly on the occasions from Prime 12 Qualifying, working from slowest to quickest.
