Indy 500 Lineup 2022: Full List of Drivers and Qualifying Times for Marquee Race

Scott Dixon has been a fixture on the front row of the Indianapolis 500 over the last decade, but he has been unable to secure his second victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

The six-time IndyCar Series champion sits on pole for the second straight year after he dropped the fastest speed in the race's qualifying history.

Dixon produced a four-lap average of 234.046 miles per hour, highlighted by a second-lap speed of 234.162 miles per hour to start first on Sunday. 

Dixon's quest to return to Victory Lane at Indy for the first time since 2008 faces challenges from a handful of young drivers. 

Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay start alongside Dixon on the front row. Both drivers are looking to earn their first victories in the prestigious open-wheel racing event. 

Starting on the front row is typically a good sign for race day. Three of the last four Indy 500 winners came from the first three positions on the starting grid. 

Indy 500 Starting Grid

Row 1: Scott Dixon (pole), Alex Palou, Rinus VeeKay

Row 2: Ed Carpenter, Marcus Ericsson, Tony Kanaan

Row 3: Pato O'Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, Romain Grosjean

Row 4: Takuma Sato, Will Power, Jimmie Johnson

Row 5: David Makulas, Josef Newgarden, Santino Ferrucci

Row 6: Simon Pagenaud, JR Hildebrand, Conor Daly

Row 7: Callum Ilott, Alexander Rossi, Graham Rahal

Row 8: Sage Karam, Marco Andretti, Devlin DeFrancesco

Row 9: Colton Herta, Scott McLaughlin, Helio Castroneves

Row 10: Kyle Kirkwood, Dalton Kellett, Juan Pablo Montoya

Row 11: Christian Lundgaard, Jack Harvey, Stefan Wilson

Full list of qualifying speeds can be found here on the track's official website. 

Recent Indy 500 history suggests that Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay have the best chances of crossing the finish line in first place. 

Will Power won from third in 2018, Simon Pagenaud took the pole and the race win in 2019, and Takuma Sato began his 2020 victory in third place. 

Helio Castroneves broke that streak last season, but he was not too far down in the starting order. The Brazilian started on Row 3 in eighth position. 

Alexander Rossi was the last Indy 500 winner to emerge from Row 4 or worse when he won as a rookie in 2016. 

Dixon, Palou and VeeKay should be considered favorites to win the race because they can avoid traffic from the start if they get in front, and their qualifying speeds were far better than any other drivers. 

Palou and VeeKay clocked in over an average of 233 miles per hour. Palou's first of four qualifying laps was over 234 miles per hour. 

Eight of the nine drivers starting on Rows 1-3 recorded an average lap speed of at least 232 miles per hour in qualifying. 

Unless the back of the pack picks up their pace, one of those drivers has to be considered as the potential champion on Sunday. 

Dixon carries the most experience of those drivers, but he did not have success from the pole position in 2021. The New Zealander finished in 17th place and led just seven laps. 

Palou and VeeKay were two of three drivers to lead more than 30 laps last May. Conor Daly led the most laps with 40. 

The experience gained from being out in the lead last year could be vital for Palou and VeeKay if one of them get into the front from the start. 

Other drivers could surge to the front by way of a fast car, or a different pit strategy than the leaders. Daly started in 19th place and led the most laps last year. 

The recent results at Indy tell us that the fastest cars from qualifying typically are near the front during the final laps of the race. 

Dixon, Palou and VeeKay, as well as the next few starters below them, should be in the mix for the victory as long as they avoid wrecks or bad pit stops on Sunday.