INDIANAPOLIS — Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing was both the fastest of the day and the fastest driver without a tow in Thursday’s second day of practice for the 107th Indianapolis 500.
The driver from Sweden had the fastest speed of the day at 229.607 mph in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Spritzers Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing. He ran 87 laps in Thursday’s session that saw the 34 drivers in the field run 3,159 laps.
More importantly for this weekend, however, was the “No Two” speed of 224.414 mph on lap 82. That is important because this weekend’s qualifications will be single cars on the track instead of speeds boosted by the aid of a tow. Does that give last year’s Indy 500 winner an indication that this is his year?
“No, because it’s only practice,” Ericsson said. “I feel really good. Like, I feel really confident in the car. It’s doing what I want. We need to keep working hard. Like I said I feel we are stronger than last year, but I feel like everyone else is getting stronger, as well. Yes, it was a good day, but tomorrow is a new day. High boost, so you never know what happens.
“We need to be working hard, trying to improve again. That’s the name of the game, for sure.”
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Each of the 34 cars at the Indianapolis 500 get an extra turbocharger boost for “Fast Friday” and will have that extra boost throughout the qualification weekend, that could push speeds into the 234 mph range, depending on weather conditions. It is expected to be hot and humid, but dry for the two days of qualifications.
Ericsson’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Scott Dixon, was second fastest at 229.186 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda. If Dixon wins the pole this weekend, he will tie the great Rick Mears for most Indy 500 poles in history with six.
He would also be the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 pole three years in a row.
Simon Pagenaud of Meyer-Shank Racing was third fastest in the No. 60 AutoNation Honda at 228.61 mph.
Thursday was Pagenaud’s 39th birthday.
“Yeah, two good days,” Pagenaud said. “Very studious yesterday. Another one today with, like a lot of people, did some fine details working on the qualifying, then we switched to race running midafternoon. It got hot, which is good, because it’s going to be a hot race day. You obviously want to know what the car is going to do in those conditions. We had a monster tow at the end and took it.
“Felt really good. Happy to put a big number up the charts and give a big smile on my crew’s face and everybody at Meyer Shank Racing.”
Pagenaud won the 2019 Indianapolis 500 when he was at Team Penske. The fourth-fastest driver was his former teammate at Team Penske, 2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power 228.577 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet.
Colton Herta of Andretti Autosport rounded out the top five at 228.240 mph in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda.
Conor Daly of Ed Carpenter Racing was sixth at 228.215 mph in the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet.
“I think these guys are strong,” Daly said. “The Ganassi cars are strong. I think Josef looked quick, too. Josef seemed pretty strong in traffic. All three of our cars were pretty decent, as well, when I was running around those guys. I think there’s like one group, then another group. You definitely feel slightly quicker with that one group. The other group, it looks like they’re having a tougher time.
“When you’re around fast cars, everyone seems fast. It’s interesting. But usually, the key players are still really quick.”