Newgarden fastest on fourth day of testing at Indianapolis

Josef Newgarden recorded the highest speed this Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, reaching 226.632 mph with his No. 2 Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Team Penske Chevrolet during the fourth practice session for the 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500.

The heat changed the track conditions with temperatures close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, a very different scenario from the first two days that had rain and cooler weather.

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Friday will bring new technical conditions

The next session, scheduled for Friday from 12 to 6 p.m. ET, will introduce a major modification to the cars. Honda and Chevrolet engines will operate with approximately 100 additional horsepower thanks to increased boost levels.

This configuration, which will also be in effect during Saturday and Sunday qualifying sessions, will completely alter the speed records on the oval.

"Tomorrow the heat will be intense, so we'll adjust our strategy considering the temperature changes for the weekend, as there will be significant variations compared to what we'll find on Friday," added Newgarden.

Dixon and Daly among Thursday's fastest

Scott Dixon, six-time NTT INDYCAR series champion, achieved the second-best time with his No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, marking 225.457 mph. The New Zealander has maintained consistency all week, ranking among the top four in all sessions, as he seeks his second victory in Indianapolis and his first since 2008.

Conor Daly placed his No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet in third position with 224.893 mph. After starting the week in 21st position, Daly has improved notably by placing among the top five in the last two days.

Teams with different work approaches

Pato O'Ward, who lost to Newgarden in the final lap of the previous edition, finished fourth with 224.467 mph at the wheel of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Ryan Hunter-Reay, winner in 2014, completed the top five with 223.983 mph in the No. 23 DRR CUSICK WEDBUSH SECURITIES Chevrolet.

Teams divided their programs during the session: the majority concentrated on adjustments for race conditions with traffic, while some began to execute qualifying simulations without the aerodynamic benefit of the draft.

In this latter mode, Newgarden was also the fastest with 222.555 mph. Kyle Kirkwood showed potential for the qualifying sessions by setting the second-best time without draft at 222.372 mph in the No. 27 Siemens Honda from Andretti Global, after having been the fastest in this statistic during the first two days.

A single incident in the fourth day

The activity was briefly interrupted when Christian Rasmussen lost control in Turn 2 and had light contact with the back of his No. 21 ECR Splenda Chevrolet against the SAFER barrier. The driver emerged unharmed and returned to the track later after repairing the minor damage.

The 34 drivers attempting to secure one of the 33 grid spaces completed a total of 2,213 laps during the session.

Before the start of the main practices, Tony Kanaan, Arrow McLaren team principal, completed his refresher test in the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet that Kyle Larson will drive. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion will attempt to race both in Indianapolis and in the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte on the same day (May 25).

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Kanaan, winner in 2013, will be available as a replacement for Larson if any weather delay forces the NASCAR driver to depart for Charlotte before the start of the race in Indianapolis.

The 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500 will run on Sunday, May 25 starting at 10 a.m. ET.