Indy 500 practice day 2 saw Alex Palou set the benchmark amid a delayed start and several stoppages due to persistent threat of rain at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Wednesday’s schedule was immediately impacted by heavy morning rain which delayed the start of practice by over an hour. The original six-hour session was ultimately reduced to just 3 hours and 43 minutes due to repeated weather interruptions, including two further delays in the afternoon.
Despite the weather disruptions, the Indy 500 practice day 2 session delivered critical track time for all 34 entrants allowing teams and drivers to refine their setups and gather valuable data ahead of the upcoming qualifying weekend.
Once the track opened, the IndyCar field wasted no time getting up to speed. Alex Palou piloting the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda quickly established himself as the benchmark, recording a fastest lap of 227.546 mph.
This lap not only topped the charts for the day but also stood as the quickest of the week so far, nearly two miles per hour clear of his closest rivals.
Palou’s performance was particularly significant given his dominant start to the 2025 season, with four wins in five races, yet he still seeks his first victory on an oval-a milestone he is determined to achieve at this year’s Indianapolis 500.
Behind Palou, the established powerhouses of Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing continued to assert their dominance as Will Power finished second quickest with a lap of 225.584 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.
Power’s teammate Josef Newgarden was third at 225.545 mph as the two-time defending Indy 500 champion attempts to become the first driver to win the race three years in succession.
Meanwhile Scott Dixon continued his solid run by finishing fourth for the second consecutive day, clocking in at 225.092 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Conor Daly rounded out the top five for Juncos Hollinger Racing with 224.931 mph.
David Malukas secured sixth place at 224.618 mph while Marcus Armstrong was seventh at 224.409 mph. The legendary Helio Castroneves placed eighth at 224.385 mph as Jack Harvey and Christian Rasmussen completed the top ten, each delivering solid performances as they continue to acclimate to the unique demands of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Louis Foster, Colton Herta and Kyle Larson followed closely with the latter notably leading the Arrow McLaren Racing contingent in 13th place at 223.985 mph.
The session also highlighted the importance of non-tow speeds which are considered a key indicator of true car performance in qualifying trim. The runs are critical for teams as they simulate qualifying conditions where drafting benefits are absent and outright speed is paramount.
For the second consecutive day Kyle Kirkwood topped the non-tow speed charts with a lap of 222.760 mph showcasing the raw pace of his Andretti Global entry when running solo.
As the afternoon wore on, the ambient temperature rose significantly creating a warmer and slicker track surface. The changing conditions prompted several teams to make adjustments to their setups with some drivers reporting changes in car balance.
Santino Ferrucci of AJ Foyt Racing for example directed his crew to revert to last year’s setup after struggling with the evolving track.
Despite the compressed schedule and challenging conditions, the day was remarkably incident-free. There were no crashes or significant on-track incidents, and the only yellow flags were triggered by weather interruptions or routine track inspections.
