Indy 500 qualifying revised

An official announcement will be made this week, but speedtv.com has learned that the traditional qualifying system will be condensed for the second time since the split in open wheel racing. Instead of two weeks of practice and three days of qualifying, there will only be eight days of practice and two days of time trials for the May 29 classic.

Indy will open on Wednesday, May 11, and Pole Day will be contested on May 14 (with May 15 the rain date). The track will be closed May 16-17 and re-open for practice May 18. IMS officials are debating on whether to make Saturday, May 21, or Sunday, May 22, the final day of qualifying.

This is not the first time IMS has scaled back May. In 1998, 1999 and 2000, qualifying was held on one weekend following seven days of practice.

There has also been talk of moving Carburetion Day back to Friday, May 27, instead of the traditional Thursday before the race, to accommodate the corporate crowd, but IMS officials are evidently worried about weather delays. If Friday's final practice was rained out, Saturday would present a problem because of the 500 Festival Parade.