Depending on the qualifying draw, all drivers will complete a qualifying round in Saturday’s qualifying hours, which consists of four full laps around the 2.5 mile (4 km) oval. Just like Fast Friday, they can use extra turbo pressure and therefore extra power. On Saturday, it’s all about a place in the fastest nine, which qualifies you for a battle for center stage on Sunday.
When all the drivers have finished their time, the drivers can make another attempt to improve their time. This can be done in two ways: you can join the regular queue in the back without specifying an earlier cycle time, or you can skip the regular queue and waive the previously pushed cycle time. The latter usually occurs mainly at the end of the qualification day.
In addition to competing for the fastest nine times on Saturday, it’s also about places 10-30. Drivers who finish in these places are guaranteed a place on the Indy 500 grid and will start from these places. Drivers who finish in places 31 to 35 will take the “last chance”. Qualified to drive. In this, they are all allowed to drive only one qualifying round, after which the slowest two can pack and therefore not qualify for the Indy 500.
Sunday’s top nine will compete during the Fast Nine qualifiers, with the top nine competing in one qualifying round on Saturday. The driver with the fastest time will take first place in the 104th Indianapolis 500.
In addition to the first place opportunity, all drivers competing in the Fast Nine qualifiers will also earn bonus points toward the championship. The fastest rider in the Fast Nine qualifiers gets nine points, and the runner-up eight points, even one point for Sunday’s slowest rider.
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