It’s time to qualify for the 110th Indianapolis 500 (weather permitting). Time trials are scheduled today, May 16, and Sunday, 17, on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
Thunderstorms are forecast for today, and if qualifying is washed out, Sunday’s sessions will be long and even more tense.
With 33 entrants guaranteeing a spot for everyone in the May 24 race, there is no bumping this year, and race officials have made changes reflecting that.
Fast Friday report: Indy 500 practice leaderboard from May 15
Who’s first? Who’s last?: Indianapolis 500 2026 qualifying order
We will have weather and qualifying updates all day, so remember to refresh.
8:30 a.m.: Showers are falling at IMS, washing out the 1-hour full-field practice session.
- Saturday, May 16
- 8:30-9:30 a.m.: Full field practice (canceled)
- 11 a.m.-5:50 p.m.: All drivers can make multiple attempts, with positions 16-33 (Rows 6-11) established for the May 24 race. Also, the 9 fastest cars advance to the Top 12 qualifying session.
- Sunday, May 17
- 4 p.m.: Cars that ranked 10-15 on Saturday will each make one attempt (15th first, then 14th, etc.). The 3 fastest advance to Top 12 qualifying and the 3 slowest will make up Row 5 for the race.
- 5 p.m.: Top 12 qualifying, in which each car will make one attempt (12th first, then 11th, etc.), from which the Fast Six will be determined. The slowest 6 cars from this session will make Rows 3-4 for the race.
- 6:35 p.m.: Fast Six qualifying will determine the pole position winner and Rows 1-2 for the race. Each driver will make one attempt (6th fastest first, then 5th, etc.).
- Saturday: Scattered thunderstorms and highs in the 70s.
- Sunday: Chance of rain in the morning, partly cloudy skies in the afternoon with a high in the mid 80s.
(All times ET; all IndyCar sessions are on IndyCar Live, IndyCar Radio, Sirius XM Channel 218 and the Fox One app)
- Saturday, May 16
- 8:30-9:30 p.m.: Practice, FS211 a.m.-2 p.m.: Qualifying, FS22-4 p.m.: Qualifying, FS14-6 p.m.: Qualifying, Fox
- Sunday, May 17
- 1-2 p.m.: Final 15 practice, FS22-3 p.m.: Top 12 practice, FS24 p.m.: All qualifying sessions on Fox
FoxSports.com, Fox Sports app
Watch Indy 500 action on Fubo
Indy 500 qualifying tickets start at $30
Rookie Robert Shwartzman of Prema Racing stunned the field by winning the Fast Six. He lost his brakes entering his pit stall during the race, running into some crew members (none was seriously hurt) and finishing 26th. Shwartzman is not entered this year.
Rick Mears won six (1979, ’82, ’86, ’88, ’89, ’91). Scott Dixon (2008, ’15, ’17, ’21, ’22) will try to match Mears.
Arie Luyendyk had a 4-lap run of 236.986 mph, with his best lap at 237.498, in 1996. However, because of the rules at the time, his blistering second-day (of four) run did not earn him the pole position.
Zion Brown is IndyStar’s motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar’s motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to the YouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.