Indy 500 Qualifying Results 2018: Helio Castroneves Posts Best Day 1 Speed

Helio Castroneves posted the best four-lap average speed in Saturday's 2018 Indianapolis 500 qualifying session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

Castroneves is one of nine drivers to emerge from Bump Day with an opportunity to earn the pole position for next week's Indy 500 during Sunday's Fast Nine Shootout. Ed Carpenter and Simon Pagenaud recorded the second and third best times, respectively.

James Hinchcliffe and Pippa Mann were eliminated from race contention as the bottom-two finishers Saturday.

Here's the complete list of top-nine Day 1 qualifiers, via the track's official website:

1. Helio Castroneves (228.919 mph)

2. Ed Carpenter (228.692 mph)

3. Simon Pagenaud (228.304 mph)

4. Will Power (228.194 mph)

5. Sebastien Bourdais (228.090 mph)

6. Spencer Pigot (228.052 mph)

7. Josef Newgarden (228.049 mph)

8. Scott Dixon (227.782 mph)

9. Danica Patrick (227.610 mph)

Castroneves, 43, is no stranger to success at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Brazilian superstar has three Indianapolis 500 victories, which is the most among active drivers and tied for the second-highest total in history. Only A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears have more (four each).

He's also captured the pole four times. In 2009, he won the race from the top starting spot.

Castroneves has switched to IMSA prototype racing as a full-time driver this year, but he's still got his sights set on another Indy title, per Robin Warner of Autoweek.

"I'm going to get that No. 4, and I want it," he said. "I feel Roger [Penske] wants it, the team wants it and a lot of people want it."

Meanwhile, Danica Patrick is among the drivers with a chance to earn the pole Sunday.

The 36-year-old Wisconsin native is set to race in the Indy 500 for the first time since 2011 after leaving the IndyCar Series for NASCAR. Now she's back at the Brickyard for the final start of her career.

Patrick told Bob Pockrass of ESPN.com earlier this month that ending her racing days in this event allows things to come "full circle," and she's hoping to steal the spotlight one last time.

"Other than that first Daytona 500 when I was on the pole, most of the races weren't like that. I missed being relevant," she said. "So I'm going to try to achieve that this month. It is going to be hard because everybody is really good and they've been at it and I wasn't for a while."

Sunday's qualifying runs begin at 2:45 p.m. ET with the drivers currently ranked Nos. 10-33. The Fast Nine Shootout then takes place starting at 5 p.m. ET on ABC.