Indy 500: Davison shunts, three cars top 231mph on Fast Friday

Just past the halfway point of the seven-hour session, the Australian was 32^nd overall and 35^th on the no-tow rankings when the back end of the AJ Foyt Racing with Byrd/Hollinger/Belardi entry flicked out, looping him into a spin. The car's left-side made hard contact with the SAFER barrier.

That area of the SAFER barrier was extended by almost 60 feet for this year, and Davison was able to step out of the car unaided.

With all engines tweaked up from 1.3-bar to 1.4-bar turbo boost – as they will run throughout qualifying – speeds have climbed by around 6mph, although part of that could be put down to an overcast day providing more downforce through the turns.

Marco Andretti went over 237mph through the Turn 1 speedtrap on his fastest run as he set an average of 231.802mph and moved his Andretti-Herta Autosport Honda 0.07mph ahead of the Schmidt Peterson Honda of rookie Robert Wickens. The pair are currently only 16^th and ninth on the no-tow rankings however.

In third, Carpenter is currently the top Chevrolet driver, 0.8mph behind Andretti, and fourth in the no-tows, ahead of Oriol Servia in the Scuderia Corsa with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing entry.

Fifth fastest is Will Power and he achieved it without the aid of a tow to zoom to the top of the no-tow rankings – a 229.780mph. Ominously for Team Penske-Chevrolet’s rivals, Power was followed in the no-tow ranks by Josef Newgarden (228.993) and Simon Pagenaud (228.857).

Fastest Honda without the aid of a draft was Sebastien Bourdais, fifth fastest in the Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan entry, and he is currently 6^th overall.

Dixon has turned only nine laps today, having suffered migraines in the morning, and then needing his top gear changed. He lies 21st overall, but a healthy 11th in the no-tow rankings.