1. We begin with another Last Row Shootout, which frankly was tame compared to past years, but it still provided plenty of nerves. Another large name was in the mix. Three years ago, Will Power was on top of the mountain with an Indianapolis 500 victory. Now, he was fighting to save his week, month, year and perhaps legacy. Team Penske was looking to avoid embarrassment. An 18-time Indianapolis 500 winning team shouldn't be in this position. A full season entrant should not be in this position and yet Power found himself in the most stressful day of his career.
The track conditions again were uncooperative to late runners and each car that went out took that place in the order. Sage Karam was the first one to take to the track and he had the fastest run of the session at 229.156 mph. Power was next, and he was running close to identical to Karam, but he brushed the wall exiting turn two on his final lap and ended up completing his run at 228.876 mph, but with minor damage, his crew could not repair the car without withdrawing his time. Power could only sit and wait.
Simona de Silvestro provided a cushion for Power, as de Silvestro's four-lap average was 228.353 mph, putting her 33rd on the grid. Charlie Kimball was faster than all of de Silvestro's attempts yesterday, but in this session, Kimball was slower at 227.811 mph. RC Enerson and Top Gun Racing never broke 228 mph all week and Enerson's attempt was at 227.298 mph.
It came down to de Silvestro or Kimball, and the wait began. Enerson made an additional attempt but went slower. Karam was set. Power was fortunate he wasn't 33rd. Kimball's crew tweaked on the car and could milk the clock. De Silvestro was left vulnerable, the Paretta Autosport team unable to touch the car unless it risk forfeiting its time.
Kimball took the track with about 6:45 left, leaving about 2:30 for de Silvestro's team to counter. Kimball's first lap was a mile per hour off the first lap de Silvestro ran. Each lap got slower and with two and a half minutes left we knew the final round: Sage Karam, Will Power and Simona de Silvestro.
Charlie Kimball and RC Enerson failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.
2. Credit to Karam and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. This team should adopt the #31 because this is its third consecutive year it has qualified 31st and this duo started 31st in Karam's debut Indianapolis 500 in 2014. Every year, this team just finds enough speed to get in and over bigger organizations. I bet Karam and this team wishes it had more insurance and wasn't always on the last row. Maybe it can build off another 31st starting position.
3. Will Power hung on and it could have been much worse. If Power had knocked the wall down in turn two, it would have been over. A lot of great drivers have missed this race. Penske had both cars miss in 1995. Before that, Bobby Rahal missed in 1993 and he was the reigning champion. Let's not forget James Hinchcliffe and Fernando Alonso in recent years.
It never felt like Power was in danger entering the day. One car beating him, sure, that made sense, but three cars beating him? We knew Enerson wasn't going to be close. De Silvestro could have edged ahead, but Power had been faster than Kimball all week and it didn't feel like Kimball could get to Power's level.
Team Penske has been praised on its race pace all week, but none of those cars are in the top half of the field. Scott McLaughlin is firmly in the middle. If any team can win from behind it is Team Penske, but 32nd is a massive hole.
3. Simona de Silvestro was the sentimental favorite of the weekend and she pulled it out, but only just. When the Paretta Autosport entry was announced with Team Penske affiliation, I thought this car would at worst be in the mid-20s. I thought with Penske's help this car would get into the field comfortably. I knew there would be some difficulties as a new team and a one-off team. On top of it, de Silvestro hasn't been to Indianapolis since 2015. It is a completely different car.
All week, she has look competitive. She hasn't look out of her element. I think everything has clicked, but that doesn't necessarily mean the car will be stellar. She made the field and that is most important.
4. And now to the drivers who didn't make the race. Charlie Kimball will not get an 11th Indianapolis 500 start. Kimball has been a fixture in IndyCar for a decade. He has never been the best driver on the grid, but he has been good. There is nothing wrong with being good. For the last few years, he has been hanging on. He has gone from full-time to part-time, back to full-time and this year all he had announced was the two Indianapolis races.
It didn't help that his car was the same one used for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis a week ago. This was not an Indianapolis 500 dedicated car and that likely played into its lack of speed.
A result like this does not help Kimball's cause. I hope he will get additional opportunities. His career is at a crossroads and Indianapolis may soon no longer be in his future.
5. RC Enerson wasn't close to the top 33 all week, but it wasn't because of the driver. This was a new team who had the car for about a month before it took to the racetrack. I don't think this group could have done any better than it did.
I hope Enerson comes back, but I am not sure Top Gun Racing can improve enough as an independent organization. I think it at least needs a technical partnership. There are also no additional opportunities for this team to prepare for Indianapolis. It could run Gateway and just go through a race weekend, but there are no other superspeedways. If Pocono was still on the schedule or Michigan and Fontana were on the schedule, then the team could have a mock run and see if it could learn anything before next May, but that option does not exist.
Will Top Gun Racing get a shot at redemption, or will this be one of those quirky entries lost to history?
6. On to the Fast Nine and Scott Dixon backed up his pace with a four-lap average of 231.685 mph, good enough for his fourth career Indianapolis 500 pole position. Dixon has to be the favorite for the race. He was stellar last year. He looks better this year. He is already the championship leader and he just added another nine points to his total.
7. Colton Herta was second at 231.655 mph. Herta is set up for his best Indianapolis 500 run, and with his teeter-totter season, Herta needs a great race. One of his biggest championship rivals is starting ahead of him, and with double points, Herta cannot afford to give up 20 points to Dixon. We know Dixon can handle the pressure of an Indianapolis 500. This will be new territory for Herta.
8. Rinus VeeKay keeps up his dream May with a front row starting position at 231.511 mph. Even better, VeeKay was ahead of Ed Carpenter, who was at 231.504 mph. Ed Carpenter Racing has found its next generation driver in VeeKay. The team now needs to get the race result.
9. Row two will be rounded out with two Ganassi entries. Tony Kanaan ran a 231.032 mph with Álex Palou taking his repaired car to 230.616 mph. Kanaan is back in a great car and it could be his last great attempt at a second Indianapolis 500 victory. Palou has fit right in with this team and through five starts, it feels like this is just the beginning for him with this organization.
10. The third row will be Ryan Hunter-Reay (230.499 mph), Hélio Castroneves (230.355 mph) and Marcus Ericsson (230.318 mph). Hunter-Reay was never thrilled with his qualifying pace and he ended up seventh. His practice pace has been strong. He could be a sleeper from seventh.
Castroneves could become a four-time winner and he could do it with Meyer Shank Racing. For how disappointing this week has been for Team Penske, Castroneves winning his fourth Indianapolis 500 in his first start away from the team will hurt.
Ericsson is there. We have yet to see him really assert himself in a race in his IndyCar career. It will be difficult, especially when his three teammates are ahead of him. The time has never been better for Ericsson to standout.
11. A practice follows this evening and then comes Carb Day. Passing could be better than previous years, but it sounds like it will still be an advantage to be up front. We will find out in a week.
