Unlike every other NTT IndyCar Series qualifying session, where only the polesitter scores a bonus point, the qualifying session for the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway awards points to each of the top 12 qualifiers.
The polesitter scores 12 points, the second place qualifier scores 11 points, the third place qualifier scores 10 points, and so on, until the 12th place qualifier scores one point.
Points don't become official until the actual race ends, so as things stand right now, Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou still has a 27-point lead over Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood in the championship standings.
But the reigning Indy 500 winner scored 12 points by taking his second Indy 500 pole in four years, while Kirkwood could only qualify 26th and left qualifying weekend emptyhanded, so Palou's lead has effectively grown to 39 points.
Factoring in Indy 500 qualifying points, here's a look at how all drivers stack up. Note that this list includes the post-qualifying penalties levied on Sunday evening.
IndyCar championship standings after Indy 500 qualifying
Rank | Driver | Points | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alex Palou, No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda | 249 | 0 |
2 | Kyle Kirkwood, No. 27 Andretti Global Honda | 210 | -39 |
3 | David Malukas, No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet | 195 | -54 |
4 | Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet | 182 | -67 |
5 | Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet | 162 | -87 |
6 | Pato O'Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet | 155 | -94 |
7 | Scott Dixon, No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda | 151 | -98 |
8 | Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet | 145 | -104 |
9 | Graham Rahal, No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda | 141 | -108 |
10 | Felix Rosenqvist, No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda | 125 | -124 |
11 | Marcus Armstrong, No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda | 123 | -126 |
12 | Alexander Rossi, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet | 121 | -128 |
13 | Marcus Ericsson, No. 28 Andretti Global Honda | 112 | -137 |
14 | Will Power, No. 26 Andretti Global Honda | 107 | -142 |
15 | Dennis Hauger, No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing Honda | 100 | -149 |
16 | Kyffin Simpson, No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda | 99 | -150 |
17 | Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet | 98 | -151 |
18 | Rinus VeeKay, No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet | 96 | -153 |
19 | Louis Foster, No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda | 86 | -163 |
20 | Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet | 76 | -173 |
21 | Caio Collet, No. 4 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet | 70 | -179 |
22 | Romain Grosjean, No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda | 69 | -180 |
23 | Christian Rasmussen, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet | 65 | -184 |
24 | Sting Ray Robb, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet | 55 | -194 |
25 | Mick Schumacher, No. 47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda | 54 | -195 |
26 | Conor Daly, No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet | 5 | -244 |
Palou also moved from 24th to 13th in the oval standings, which can be found here. The series' only oval race this year thus far took place at Phoenix Raceway, and Palou was knocked out in an early crash. Team Penske's Josef Newgarden, who won that race, retained his lead, but only slightly after a surprising 24th place qualifying run on Sunday.
Indy 500 qualifying points produce multiple standings shakeups
Other notable points moves from Sunday's qualifying session include Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward breaking a tie with Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon for sixth, as O'Ward qualified sixth ahead of Dixon in 10th, and Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin breaking a tie with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Graham Rahal for eighth, as McLaughlin qualified ninth while Rahal was 28th.
Ed Carpenter Racing's Alexander Rossi jumped ahead of Andretti Global's Marcus Ericsson for 12th with his second place qualifying effort, as Ericsson was only 17th.
Finally, Chip Ganassi Racing's Kyffin Simpson and A.J. Foyt Enterprises' Santino Ferrucci both moved ahead of Juncos Hollinger Racing's Rinus VeeKay for 16th and 17th, respectively, after Simpson qualified seventh, Ferrucci qualified fifth, and VeeKay qualified 11th.
Fox's live coverage of the 110th running of the Indy 500 from Indianapolis Motor Speedway is set to begin at 10:00 a.m. ET this Sunday, May 24. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss any of the action from the "Racing Capital of the World"!
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