INDIANAPOLIS — Kyle Larson finally got to spend some extended time on track preparing for the Indianapolis 500 on Friday, and he put his Arrow McLaren entry right near the top of the speed chart alongside mighty Team Penske with qualifying on deck this weekend.
Larson had turned just 85 laps the first three days of practice as rain kept dousing Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But the rain stayed away on Fast Friday, and Larson went exactly that: fast. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion posted a lap of 234.271 mph that led the practice session until Andretti Global’s Colton Herta beat it out with the benefit of a slight tow.
Every car got a boost of about 100 horsepower on Friday that they will use for their qualifying runs this weekend.
“I expected it to feel like you’re going way faster than before,” Larson said, “but surprisingly, I think when the balance is OK and the grip is still there, it definitely feels faster but not, like, scary fast.”
Perhaps most importantly, Larson logged a four-lap average of 232.549 mph Friday to mimic qualifying, which begins Saturday for the 34 cars trying to make the 33-car show on May 26. The top 12 will advance to Sunday with a shot at pole position.