The Honda of Simon Pagenaud paced the final practice session before the 97th Indianapolis 500, ahead of the Andretti Autosport Chevrolets of EJ Viso and Ryan Hunter-Reay. The #9 Target Honda of Scott Dixon was fourth. Sébastien Bourdais was fifth.
Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti was sixth ahead of the Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan Honda of James Jakes. The surprise of the day was Katherine Legge who was eighth fastest. This was her second day in the #81 Angie's List Honda the other being Bump Day last Sunday. Marco Andretti was ninth with Alex Tagliani in tenth. Honda took six of the top ten in practice.
Tony Kanaan was eleventh ahead of the #19 Dale Coyne Honda of Justin Wilson. The fastest Penske driver and fastest rookie was AJ Allmendinger in thirteenth. James Hinchcliffe and Will Power rounded out the top fifteen. Josef Newgarden was sixteenth ahead of pole-sitter Ed Carpenter and Oriol Serviá. Points leader Takuma Sato and Charlie Kimball completed the top twenty.
JR Hildebrand was twenty-first, ahead of Ryan Briscoe in twenty-second. Briscoe had an engine fire at the end of the practice session. Graham Rahal was twenty-third ahead of the rookie Tristan Vautier and the Chevrolet of Sebastián Saavedra. Townsend Bell was twenty-sixth followed by fellow Chevrolet drivers Simona de Silvestro and Helio Castroneves. Conor Daly was twenty-ninth ahead of fellow rookie and front row starter Carlos Muñoz. Ana Beatriz was thirty-first just behind Muñoz. During practice, Beatriz got into the back of Muñoz while entering the pit lane. Both cars had minor damage. 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier was thirty-second and Pippa Mann was thirty-third.
Weather forecast for Sunday calls for a few showers with a high of 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Chance of precipitation 30%, winds ESE at 10 MPH. Coverage of the 97th Indianapolis 500 will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday on ABC.
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