Day 3 of Indy 500 practice brought a heightened sense of urgency compared to previous days, with short tempers and intense action on the track. Josef Newgarden set the pace for Team Penske, followed by Scott Dixon and Conor Daly impressing for their respective teams.
Santino Ferrucci’s struggles continued, resulting in a drive-through penalty for crossing the pit exit lane white line. Balance issues plagued drivers like Graham Rahal, with the added weight from the hybrid unit challenging their handling.
Despite daring draft maneuvers, tensions rose when Nolan Siegel criticized Christian Rasmussen for a risky overtake. Rasmussen later spun at Turn 2 but managed to avoid significant damage, attributing the incident to old tires and pushing too hard.
The day saw Kyle Larson’s quest for ‘The Double’ at 17th on the speed charts and Rasmussen’s resilience in getting back on track after the spin. As the session wound down, the intensity subsided in anticipation of the upcoming qualifying rounds.
