INDYCAR: The new expanded INDY 500 Qualifying procedure

SPEEDWAY, Ind. — With the absence of the bump in “Bump Day’ in this years edition of the Indianapolis 500, INDYCAR has made updates to their qualifying procedure.

Now, the most challenging four laps in all of motorsports will add an extra level of difficulty when the drivers hit the track for the two day PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying.

Day One

After four days of practice, the NTT INDYCAR Series will open qualifying on Saturday, May 16th at 11:00 a.m. ET and run until 5:00 p.m. ET.

The complete field of 33 will compete for the rights to advance to the second, more prestigious day as the lineup for 16th to 33rd will be set by the days end.

The fastest nine cars from day one will lock their spot in the Top 12 while the cars who finish the day 10th-15th will compete in the Final 15.

DAY 1 QUALIFYING

• 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET
• FS2, SIRIUSXM Channel 218
• 2:00-4:00 p.m. ET
• FS1, SIRIUSXM Channel 218
• 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET
• FOX, SIRIUSXM Channel 218

Day Two

The second and final day opens with drivers from 10th through 15th competing for the last spots in the Top 12.

Each of the six will get one timed attempt, running in reverse order. 15th goes first, followed by 14th, 13th, and so on. The three fastest will advance, joining the nine drivers who already locked in their spots on Day One.

Then the Top 12 shootout begins with those three advancing drivers, again running in reverse qualifying order, followed by the nine Day One qualifiers running from ninth to first.

As in previous years, the six fastest will move on to the Firestone Fast Six to battle for positions one through six and the NTT P1 Award for pole. Drivers who finish seventh through 12th will line up in those respective starting positions based on their times.

In the Fast 6, each driver receives one attempt, running in reverse order from their Top 12 results. The fastest driver claims pole position and the $100,000 prize, with the remaining five filling out the front two rows of the starting grid.

FINAL 15 QUALIFYING

• 4:00-4:35 p.m. ET
• FOX, SIRIUSXM Channel 218

TOP 12 QUALIFYING

• 5:00-6:15 p.m. ET
• FOX, SIRIUSXM Channel 218

FIRESTONE FAST 6

• 6:35-7:00 p.m. ET
• FOX, SIRIUSXM Channel 218