Drivers set for Indy 500 Pole Day

After seven official days of practice, 35 drivers will compete Saturday for 33 spots in the 97th Indianapolis 500.

On Sunday, teams that failed to qualify will have a chance to “bump” drivers and qualify for the race as part of Old National Armed Forces Bump Day.

At the time of this publication, the fastest practice time came from veteran Marco Andretti on Monday. Driving the No. 25 RC Cola machine for Andretti Autosport, Andretti turned a lap at 225.100 miles per hour.

“Obviously it helps when you can simulate a mini-race, so we had that luxury and we’ve been taking full advantage of it,” Andretti said after practice Monday. “Personally I feel like that’s how the Ganassis beat us last year. It was the first year for me that pole was in reach, so I got too fascinated with just how fast would the car go instead of getting the proper car underneath you for the race.”

On Tuesday, Andretti’s car was once again the fastest. But he wasn’t driving.

Andretti’s teammate James Hinchcliffe, who won the Sao Paulo 300 on May 5, took the driver’s seat to turn the fastest lap of the day in No. 25 at 224.210 miles per hour. Hinchcliffe joked after practice that Andretti was upset about it. He later added that there are real benefits to driving a teammate’s car. He drove Andretti’s car for 26 laps, and Andretti took Hinchcliffe’s No. 27 GoDaddy.com car for 22 laps. Andretti also recorded the third fastest time of the day, 223.570 miles per hour, back in his own car later in the day.

“There are some things we wanted to see and suss out, and that’s the way to do it,” Hinchcliffe said Tuesday. “It’s not uncommon. Guys have done it in the past, especially this team. I think TK (Tony Kanaan) drove every single car on the team at some point during the month. It’s standard procedure to feel a couple of things out.”

The field includes three former Indy 500 champions, and two three-time champions. Helio Castroneves and defending champion Dario Franchitti will both be trying to win their fourth 500. Franchitti’s Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon also won the race in 2008. The lineup also includes four rookies, including Noblesville, Ind., native Connor Daly who will drive the No. 41 ABC Supply Co. car for A.J. Foyt Racing. Ed Carpenter, driver of the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka car, is another racer from Indianapolis.

Five drivers in the field have claimed the pole position previously. Castroneves, the only driver in the field to take the top position more than once with four poles, knows that qualifications are the first important part of the month.

“Right now we’re trying to follow the schedule,” Castroneves said after practice Monday. “We’re not worried about the result. Rick Mears always says that (Indy) is two races, and right now we’re worried about the first race, which is qualifying.”