INDYCAR Drivers Chase 2026 Indy 500 Pole at 230 mph Over 2 Days
Updated
Updated · FOX Sports · May 15
INDYCAR Drivers Chase 2026 Indy 500 Pole at 230 mph Over 2 Days
9 articles · Updated · FOX Sports · May 15
Saturday and Sunday qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will set the pole and lineup for the 2026 Indy 500, with speeds expected to exceed 230 mph.
Saturday’s full-field session runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET after morning practice, and the top 15 advance to Sunday’s pole shootout while positions 16-33 are locked in.
Sunday’s format narrows the field from the Final 15 to the Top 12 and then the Firestone Fast Six, which decides pole position.
FOX, FS1 and FS2 will carry the sessions, with streaming on FOX One, the FOX Sports app and FOXSports.com ahead of the May 24 race.
Robert Shwartzman won the 2025 pole as a rookie with a four-lap average of 232.790 mph, setting the benchmark for this year’s qualifying weekend.
With last year's pole winner sidelined, which contender will conquer the 230+ mph speeds to claim the coveted top spot?
How will a 100hp boost and a newly repaved track impact lap times and the hunt for a new speed record?