Many Questions Remain, But Answers Coming in Indy 500 Qualifying

Chevy or Honda. Sandbagging or Real? Andretti or Penske?

Heading into Sunday’s run to pole position for the 100th Indianapolis 500, we have those three big questions to answer. Chevy and Honda have traded Indy 500 wins since the Bowtie returned to the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2012, and with Chevy’s impressive form heading into the great race on May 29, the early predictions had one of the American brand’s cars booked for a trip to Victory Circle.

But not so fast. Despite winning pole position for the first five races of 2016, and earning a clean sweep of five wins from St. Petersburg to the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indy, the team at Honda Performance Development turned the tables in practice. 

Three of the four practice sessions ahead of qualifying ended with a Honda-powered driver atop the speed chart, and even on Friday, where Chevy set the fastest lap of the month at 232.672, it was a Honda that led the crucial no-tow list for speeds earned without the benefit of an aerodynamic draft.

If we’re talking qualifying performance, where it’s one driver without a tow for four timed laps, Honda would appear to be the favorite. 

But is Chevy really behind their Japanese rivals, or has the bowtie been keeping a little bit of speed in reserve for Sunday? If you ask the Honda drivers, they believe Chevy is sandbagging. Badly. Ask the Chevy drivers, and they say nice things about the Honda’s unexpected speed …

It’s impossible to say whether the Chevy’s have more speed to display, but it is safe to say the Honda drivers expect to have a stronger challenge once the battle for pole position begins.

And which team will take home the $100,000 and have its driver take 42 points for pole? If we’re looking at the trends from practice, where Andretti Autosport led two of the four days, and Team Penske led the last, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a Marco Andretti or Will Power celebrating once the gun fires late Sunday to signal the end of qualifying.

But don’t sleep on Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon—last year’s pole sitter--who has lurked just below the radar. Or Townsend Bell, who recorded the best no-tow lap of the month. Or … well, tune into ABC on Sunday to have all these questions answered and more as the 100th pole winner is crowned.