INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Brazil’s Helio Castroneves jumped back to the top of the Indianapolis 500 speed chart with a fast lap of 228.611 mph in the final hour practice Friday.
Castroneves is a three-time Indy 500 winner and four-time pole-sitter in Indy.
He was one of six drivers to top 228 mph Friday. Canada’s Alex Tagliani was second at 228.327, followed by New Zealand’s Scott Dixon at 228.181. Australian Ryan Briscoe was fourth at 228.029, and Belgium’s Bertrand Baguette rounded out the top five at 228.028.
Ed Carpenter was the fastest American at 228.017. He was sixth.
Saturday is the first of two qualifying days for the May 29 race. Forty driver-car combinations will try to qualify for the 33 starting spots this weekend.
