INDIANAPOLIS — Conor Daly paced the NTT IndyCar Series field on Tuesday (April 28) in the first of two days of the 2026 Indianapolis 500 Open Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Noblesville, IN native sped around the 2.5-mile oval with a fastest lap of 225.394 mph in the No. 23 Dreyer and Reinbold Racing Chevrolet. Helio Castroneves was second fastest with a quickest lap of 225.200 mph in the No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing Honda.
After Felix Rosenqvist led the two-hour, morning, veterans-only practice session with a fastest lap of 219.196 mph, IndyCar opened the track for rookies and 500-only competitors to complete their respective programs required before they can practice for the 110th Indianapolis 500.
All rookies then completed their Rookie Orientation Programs within the two-hour window except for Dennis Hauger. The 2025 Indy NXT Champion was allowed to finish the final phase of ROP (15 laps over 215 mph) in the afternoon session.
The only veteran that did not complete their Veteran Refresher program was Katherine Legge, whose No. 11 AJ Foyt Racing with HMD Motorsports Chevrolet had mechanical trouble that prevented the only woman entered in this year’s 500 field from turning any laps at speed.
Legge will be granted a special on-track session before Wednesday’s running to get the rest of her Veteran Refresher program completed. The Veteran Refresher is composed of the final two phases of the ROP (15 laps at 210-215 mph, 15 laps over 215 mph).
On the non-tow speed chart, Jack Harvey led the drivers on that list with a fastest non-tow lap of 220.318 mph.
There were no incidents of wall contact during the 2,262 laps that the field completed. The only yellow that wasn’t for a track inspection was for a tow-in on Christian Rasmussen‘s No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet. Rasmussen stopped the car in the paved area exiting turn 2 after feeling that something wasn’t quite right exiting the pits.
With the weather a factor in Wednesday’s running, a schedule adjustment is in order. All cars will be free to run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, with Legge’s refresher program from noon to 1 p.m. before the track opens to all entries again from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Christopher DeHarde has covered IndyCar racing and the Road to Indy for various outlets since 2014. In addition to open wheel racing, DeHarde has also covered IMSA and various short track racing events around Indiana. Originally from New Orleans, DeHarde moved to the Indianapolis area in 2017 to further pursue a career as a motorsports writer.
Welp, that’s it. Helio is a lock for getting that 5th Indy 500 victory! lol
I’d be OK with that. What I’d really like is for Will Power to win it, after being punted by Penske. A win on Penske’s track. In Penske’s series. In Penske’s biggest race of the year. Get me some popcorn!
That would be cool, and it could realistically happen.