Scott Dixon has won four of his six NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships in the last 11 years, but his only victory in the Indianapolis 500 came in 2008.
His performance during the first day of the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge Open Test could be the first step toward changing that equation.
“It’s testing – just trying to get through the test list, lots of changes,” Dixon said. “We didn’t do the October test, so first time with the hybrid here, which definitely adds some elements to it and makes it pretty interesting. I think it is going to determine a lot race-wise, maybe even for the shootout at the end. I think it could determine that.
“So, trying to clarify a lot of those situations to make sure that you’re covered muscle memory-wise and memory-wise. It comes down to that. So even in qualifying, I think it be a few different strategies of how to get that right.”
Dixon took the top spot from two-time reigning race champion Josef Newgarden, who ended up second at 225.125 in the No. 2 Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Team Penske Chevrolet. Two-time series champion Newgarden is trying to become the first driver to win the world’s most prestigious auto race three years in a row Sunday, May 25.
“Today was really solid just to start out,” Newgarden said. “The big thing is you come here with a new car or an existing car that you’re taking apart and completely rebuilding it. For most everybody here, putting a car on the track for the first time and hoping it just goes relatively quick … When the car is fast, everything else can be fixed. It’s the car’s speed that fixes everything.
“For us, it’s been a really good start. It doesn’t mean it’s going to be all smooth sailing, but I hope we can come out of this and be prepared for the Month of May.”
Two-time “500” winner Takuma Sato started his “one-off” Indianapolis 500 effort with vigor, ending up third at 225.069 in the No. 75 AMADA Honda fielded by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Marcus Armstrong led three Meyer Shank Racing cars in the top eight, as he was fourth at 224.987 in the No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda.
Colton Herta rounded out the top five at 224.857 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global.
Besides MSR putting Armstrong fourth, four-time “500” winner Helio Castroneves seventh and Felix Rosenqvist eighth, another trend line was drawn during the first day of the test: Honda engines are fast. Honda powered nine of the 10 fastest drivers today, with Newgarden the only Chevy driver in that group.
Honda drivers also took the top three spots on the “no-tow” list of drivers’ best laps turned without the speed-enhancing edge of an aerodynamic slipstream from a leading car. Rosenqvist was the top no-tow driver at 220.835 in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda, followed by three-time series champion Alex Palou at 220.354 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Testing continues starting at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Teams will have access from 9:30-noon to the same elevated turbo boost levels as “Fast Friday” practice May 16 and PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying on May 17-18. Then boost will be reduced to race levels from 2-5 p.m. for the final segment of testing this week.
“I’m excited to turn up the boost and curious to see how this hybrid is going to be used in qualifying,” said Pato O’Ward, who was 16th overall at 222.775 mph in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. “I think everybody is kind of playing a guessing game now, so we’ll see what’s the best one tomorrow.”
Thirty-four drivers are eligible to participate when Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge practice opens Tuesday, May 13, as Jacob Abel, Louis Foster and Robert Shwartzman completed the Rookie Orientation Program and Marco Andretti, Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Larson and Sato completed the veteran refresher test Wednesday.
All 34 drivers expected to compete next month for the 33 starting spots were on track today, turning a combined 2,805 laps. Rookie Swartzman was the busiest driver, turning 133 laps in the No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet.
In an interesting twist, two-time reigning series champion and current championship leader Alex Palou was one of the most inactive drivers, completing just 46 laps despite no apparent technical problems. Palou, seeking his first “500” victory, ended up sixth overall at 224.786.
2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Larson was 11th at 223.430 in the No. 17 Hendrickcars.com Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Larson is once again trying to complete the “Double” of racing in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day May 25.
There was just one caution period during more than six hours of testing. Graham Rahal brushed the SAFER Barrier in Turn 3 twice in his No. 15 United Rentals Honda fielded by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing with 13 minutes remaining. Rahal was unhurt.
