The complete starting grid for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500

Shwartzman Shocks Indy 500 with Record Pole Position

In a remarkable turn of events for the 2025 Indy 500 qualifying session, rookie Robert Shwartzman secured the pole position in his No. 83 Prema Racing Chevrolet, registering a four-lap average speed of 232.790 mph. This achievement not only marks Shwartzman’s first foray into oval racing but also serves as Prema’s inaugural entry in IndyCar competition.

Shwartzman stands out as the first Israeli-born driver to not only qualify for the Indy 500 but also to start from pole. His performance is particularly notable as he becomes the first rookie to achieve pole position on their Indy 500 debut since Teo Fabi in 1983.

Joining Shwartzman on the front row will be Takuma Sato of RLL Racing and Pato O’Ward from Arrow McLaren, each demonstrating strong qualifying runs.

While Shwartzman celebrated this historic achievement, his fellow rookie Jacob Abel faced disappointment as the only driver to fail to qualify for the race, narrowly losing the last-chance slot to teammate Rinus VeeKay.

In the backdrop of these dramatic qualifying results, NASCAR star Kyle Larson will start from 21st position as he attempts to complete the challenging "Double" of racing both the Indy 500 and the Coke 600 on the same day.