INDIANAPOLIS -- Scott Dixon dethroned teammate Alex Palou to win the pole position for the 106th Indy 500 as Chip Ganassi Racing dominated qualifying Sunday.
Dixon earned his fifth pole position on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval with a four-lap average of 234.046 mph, the second-fastest qualifying speed in Indy 500 history behind Arie Luyendyk’s 236.896 mph in 1996.
Dixon has the fastest four-lap average by a pole-sitter in Indy 500 history, and he ranks second all time in Indy 500 poles behind Rick Mears (six, 1979, ‘82, ‘86, ‘88, ‘89, ‘91).
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For the second consecutive year, the six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion’s No. 9 Dallara-Honda will start first in the Indy 500 on May 29 (11 a.m. ET, NBC).
“This what this place is about,” Dixon told NBC Sports’ Marty Snider. “It’s so amazing. The ups and downs that you have just in one day is crazy.
The fastest pole speed in #Indy500 HISTORY!@ScottDixon9's average speed of 234.046 mph breaks the late Scott Brayton's record of 233.718 mph. pic.twitter.com/i82tcKVwF3
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 22, 2022
“Hard work and people. I’m one of the lucky guys part of this team that gets to drive it and gets to take it across the line. The amount of effort back in the shop and through HPD and Honda, the speed that they bring. And huge thanks to all my teammates. We’ve worked really hard to put this team together and try to get the most of it.”
Palou qualified second at 233.499, followed by Rinus VeeKay (233.385 as the top Chevrolet after turning the fastest four laps Saturday).
The front row posted three of the top five qualifying speeds in Indy 500 history while taking advantage of a 90 extra horsepower turbo boost added for qualifying. It’s the fastest front row in Indy 500 history, breaking a 26-year-old mark.
“I think we could have put rocket fuel in our engine and still not beat Scott,” VeeKay said. “He was not just a fraction faster. He was a lot faster than everyone else.”
The speeds of Palou and VeeKay slotted in behind the late Scott Brayton, who posted the third-fastest qualifying speed (233.718) with the 1996 pole position.
Dixon, the first repeat pole-sitter since Ed Carpenter in 2013-14, earned his lone Indy 500 win in 2008, the first time he qualified first at the 2.5-mile track. In his other pole starts, he has finished fourth (2015), 32nd (2017) and 17th (2021).
“This is Stage 1,” Dixon said. “Obviously doesn’t mean nothing come next Sunday. We’re starting in the right spot. We haven’t had a good record in keeping in the right spot, but we’ll definitely be trying come next Sunday.”
Chip Ganassi Racing put four of its five Hondas in the top two rows but came up short of the first front-row lockout of an Indy 500 since 1988 (Team Penske with Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan and Al Unser). It’s Ganassi’s first 1-2 start in the Indy 500 since Dixon and Dan Wheldon in ’08.
Ed Carpenter (233.080), Marcus Ericsson (232.764) and Tony Kanaan (232.372) qualified on the second row Sunday.
Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, Romain Grosjean, Takuma Sato, Will Power and Jimmie Johnson occupied the next two rows after being eliminated during the first round Sunday.
Though there remained no major crashes during five days of on-track activity over the past week, there were some harrowing moments Sunday for two famous rookies.
Johnson will start 12th in his Indy 500 debut after coming inches from smacking the Turn 1 wall with his No. 48 Dallara-Honda on the first lap of green.
“The track’s a little different than it was this morning,” the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion told NBC Sports’ Dave Burns with a laugh. “The same approach wasn’t going to work. We certainly were trying for it. That’s the most effort in the setup of the car and trim settings that we’ve had. Just committed to run one flat, and it just was so light on top of the track. I was wide and trying to keep it off the fence at that point.
“Inexperience, ultimately. I think the sunlight on the track and the track temp coming up, and these conditions. Just trying to find that right balance in the race car. These guys are so good at what they do in these trickier conditions. I just need a bit more experience.”
WHAT A SAVE, @JIMMIEJOHNSON!
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 22, 2022
Jimmie saves it on the first corner of his qualifying run. He'll start on the first four rows in his first #Indy500. pic.twitter.com/q3PVJdz3qi
Grosjean also had a major moment and nearly tagged the Turn 1 wall during the second lap of his qualifying run.
“That was scary,” the Formula One veteran told NBC Sports’ Kevin Lee with a laugh. “Track conditions changed a lot from the morning.
We tried everything we had to go fast to get some speed in the car, but it was definitely a run that wasn’t easy. Honestly, I used all the tools in the car and wasn’t (fast enough), so I’m glad it’s behind me. I’m proud of what we’ve done so far.”
Close call for @RGrosjean!
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 22, 2022
Grosjean nearly brushes the wall in qualifying for the #Indy500.
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At least they had some good company Sunday as IndyCar unveiled a new format that required the pole-sitter to make three four-lap runs -- two within two hours -- around the punishing 2.5-mile oval.
Dixon exaggerated a shaking right hand before starting an NBC Sports interview, emphasizing how much bravery was required by the six-time IndyCar Series champion to post the fastest first-round speed of 233.510 mph.
“This place does it to you every time,” Dixon said with a smile to NBC Sports’ Kevin Lee.
"This place does it to you every time."
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) May 22, 2022
Well said, @scottdixon9.
Watch live on @NBC and @peacockTV: https://t.co/7aweZcszVk#INDYCAR // #Indy500 // @IMS pic.twitter.com/QDWp6jVsdd