Indy 500 Qualifying Results 2022: Scott Dixon Sets Fastest-Ever Pole Time

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVMay 22, 2022

Scott Dixon, of New Zealand, sits in his pit box during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, May 22, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

Scott Dixon won the pole position at Indianapolis 500 qualifying on Sunday, the fifth time he's done so in his career. He also made some history along the way.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES @IndyCar
For the 5th time, <a href="https://twitter.com/scottdixon9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottdixon9</a> will lead the 11 rows of 3 to green at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indy500?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indy500</a>. With a four-lap average speed of 234.046, he's secured the NTT P1 Award.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDYCAR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDYCAR</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/CGRTeams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CGRTeams</a> <a href="https://t.co/7AeIWzKqBv">pic.twitter.com/7AeIWzKqBv</a>

Nathan Brown @By_NathanBrown
Scott Dixon sets the fastest ever Indy 500 pole. 234.046 mph. 2nd-most ever in race history (5)

NBC Sports @NBCSports
The fastest pole speed in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indy500?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indy500</a> HISTORY!<a href="https://twitter.com/scottdixon9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottDixon9</a>'s average speed of 234.046 mph breaks the late Scott Brayton's record of 233.718 mph. <a href="https://t.co/i82tcKVwF3">pic.twitter.com/i82tcKVwF3</a>

Conor Daly @ConorDaly22
This era of <a href="https://twitter.com/IndyCar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndyCar</a> racing is truly incredible. The level of competition, the speed. I mean we just saw the second fastest set of 4 laps any human being has ever done <a href="https://twitter.com/IMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IMS</a>. We’re in for one of the greatest <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indy500?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indy500</a>’s of all time next weekend.

JR Hildebrand @JRHildebrand
Death. Taxes. Scott Dixon ripping huge qualifying runs at Indy.

Alex Palou (233.499 mph) and Rinus VeeKay (233.385 mph) will join him in the front row.

Ed Carpenter (233.080), Marcus Ericsson (232.764) and 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan (232.372) qualified for the second row, while Pato O'Ward (232.705), Felix Rosenqvist (232.182) and Romain Grosjean (231.999) are on row three.

Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato (231.670), 2018 winner Will Power (231.534) and Jimmie Johnson will make up row four (231.264).

You can find the full field here.

It was a good result for Johnson, who flirted with disaster but came out in decent position:

IndyCar on NBC @IndyCaronNBC
WHAT A SAVE, <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmieJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JIMMIEJOHNSON</a>! Jimmie saves it on the first corner of his qualifying run. He'll start on the first four rows in his first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indy500?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indy500</a>. <a href="https://t.co/q3PVJdz3qi">pic.twitter.com/q3PVJdz3qi</a>

"The track's a little different than it was this morning," Johnson told NBC of his near-collision. "The same approach wasn't going to work. We certainly were trying for it. That's the most effort in the setup of the car and trim settings that we've had. Just committed to run one flat, and it just was so light on top of the track. I was wide and trying to keep it off the fence at that point."

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But the day belonged to Dixon, who is hoping to drink milk in victory lane for the second time in his career.

"This is stage one, obviously it doesn't mean nothing come next Sunday," Dixon said on the NBC broadcast after qualifying. "We're starting in the right spot. We haven't had a good record of keeping it in the right spot, but we'll definitely be trying come next Sunday."

NTT INDYCAR SERIES @IndyCar
The fastest four-lap average pole speed in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indy500?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indy500</a> history. Hear from "The Iceman" after his historic run.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDYCAR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDYCAR</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/scottdixon9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottdixon9</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/CGRTeams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CGRTeams</a> <a href="https://t.co/r92a684ZVt">pic.twitter.com/r92a684ZVt</a>

"Always unfinished business here," added Dixon, whose lone win at the Indianapolis 500 came in 2008. "I love this place. It definitely can be cruel at some times, but I feel very privileged and very lucky to be able to drive here, and obviously with a team like this, it makes it so sweet.

The 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May 29, at 11 a.m. ET on NBC. For the second straight year, Dixon will hold the pole, the first driver to win it in back-to-back seasons since Ed Carpenter did so in 2013-14.