Indy 500 Starting Grid 2026 Dates

Indy 500 Starting Grid 2026 Dates – The 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 delivered one of the most thrilling spectacles in racing history on Sunday, May 24, 2026. If you’re searching for the Indy 500 starting grid 2026 dates, lineup details, qualifying results, and full event schedule, you’ve come to the right place. Below is everything you need—sourced directly from official IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) pages—complete with the final starting grid (adjusted for post-qualifying penalties), key 2026 dates in Eastern Time, and US broadcast info.

Official 2026 Indy 500 Starting Grid: Full 33-Car Lineup

Álex Palou earned the pole with a blistering 4-lap average of 232.248 mph, leading a star-studded field at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Here’s the complete official starting grid (positions 1–33), listed by row with car number, driver, and team:

Row 1

  1. #10 Álex Palou – Chip Ganassi Racing (232.248 mph)
  2. #20 Alexander Rossi – Ed Carpenter Racing (231.990 mph)
  3. #12 David Malukas – Team Penske (231.877 mph)

Row 2

  1. #60 Felix Rosenqvist – Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian (231.375 mph)
  2. #14 Santino Ferrucci – A.J. Foyt Enterprises (230.846 mph)
  3. #5 Pato O’Ward – Arrow McLaren (230.442 mph)

Row 3

  1. #8 Kyffin Simpson – Chip Ganassi Racing (230.883 mph)
  2. #23 Conor Daly – Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (230.712 mph)
  3. #3 Scott McLaughlin – Team Penske (230.577 mph)

Row 4

  1. #9 Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing (230.347 mph)
  2. #76 Rinus VeeKay – Juncos Hollinger Racing (229.585 mph)
  3. #75 Takuma Sato – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (230.995 mph)

Row 5

  1. #33 Ed Carpenter – Ed Carpenter Racing (230.829 mph)
  2. #06 Hélio Castroneves – Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian (230.811 mph)
  3. #21 Christian Rasmussen – Ed Carpenter Racing (230.705 mph)

Row 6

  1. #66 Marcus Armstrong – Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian (230.701 mph)
  2. #28 Marcus Ericsson – Andretti Global (230.667 mph)
  3. #7 Christian Lundgaard – Arrow McLaren (230.661 mph)

Row 7

  1. #26 Will Power – Andretti Global (230.279 mph)
  2. #6 Nolan Siegel – Arrow McLaren (230.213 mph)
  3. #45 Louis Foster – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (230.212 mph)

Row 8

  1. #31 Ryan Hunter-Reay – Arrow McLaren (230.202 mph)
  2. #2 Josef Newgarden – Team Penske (230.165 mph)
  3. #18 Romain Grosjean – Dale Coyne Racing (229.791 mph)

Row 9

  1. #27 Kyle Kirkwood – Andretti Global w/ Curb-Agajanian
  2. #11 Katherine Legge – HMD Motorsports w/ A.J. Foyt Racing
  3. #47 Mick Schumacher – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Row 10

  1. #15 Graham Rahal – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
  2. #19 Dennis Hauger – Dale Coyne Racing
  3. #51 Jacob Abel – Abel Motorsports

Row 11

  1. #77 Sting Ray Robb – Juncos Hollinger Racing
  2. #4 Caio Collet – A.J. Foyt Enterprises
  3. #24 Jack Harvey – Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Note: Caio Collet (#4) and Jack Harvey (#24) had their qualifying times disallowed for technical violations (unapproved hardware in the energy management system) and started at the rear.

2026 Indy 500 Key Dates and Full Schedule (Eastern Time)

The Month of May at IMS followed this official timeline for US fans planning around Memorial Day weekend:

  • April 28–29, 2026: Full-field Open Test (including rookie orientation)
  • May 12–15, 2026: Practice sessions (Opening Day May 12; Fast Friday May 15 with higher boost)
  • May 16–17, 2026: Time Trials / Qualifying (May 16 rained out; all sessions condensed to Sunday, May 17 with modified format: Final 15 → Top 12 → Firestone Fast Six)
  • May 18, 2026: Post-qualifying practice
  • May 22, 2026: Carb Day (final practice + Pit Stop Challenge, which was rain-cancelled)
  • May 23, 2026: 500 Festival Parade
  • May 24, 2026: Race Day – Green flag approximately 12:45 p.m. ET (pre-race coverage started ~10 a.m. ET on FOX)

All times are Eastern Time to match the US broadcast audience.

How Qualifying Shaped the 2026 Indy 500 Starting Grid?

Qualifying was drama-filled due to rain. The condensed Sunday format on May 17 saw Felix Rosenqvist top the early charts before Álex Palou locked in pole position. The Firestone Fast Six determined the front row, with Palou, Rossi, and Malukas making up Row 1. Full details and lap-by-lap speeds are archived on IndyCar.com and the IMS Live Grid page.

Post-Qualifying Grid Adjustments & Penalties

Two cars—Caio Collet (A.J. Foyt) and Jack Harvey (Dreyer & Reinbold)—were moved to the back after failing technical inspection. This shuffled the field slightly but kept the top 30 positions intact.

2026 Indy 500 Race Highlights for US Viewers

Felix Rosenqvist (#60, Meyer Shank Racing) won in the closest finish in Indy 500 history—beating David Malukas by just 0.0233 seconds. The race featured record lead changes and was broadcast live on FOX across the United States.

Whether you’re reliving the Indy 500 starting grid 2026 dates or planning for 2027, bookmark the official sites:

Stay tuned for next year’s schedule—Back Home Again in Indiana! Let us know if you want driver-by-driver stats or 2027 predictions.