Pato O'ward Content With Backup Car On Carb Day

Pato O'Ward was content with a backup car on Carb Day ahead of the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. That leaves him in the final pre-race setup at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the starting order already has Alex Palou on the pole and David Malukas in third.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

O'Ward's comfort with the backup car is the clearest Pato-specific note from the final practice day before Sunday’s race. In a field where starting position already puts some drivers under more pressure than others, he reached Carb Day with his equipment situation settled enough to keep moving toward race day.

Sunday’s 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge was scheduled at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the grid carried its own weight even before the green flag. Palou sat on the pole, Malukas lined up third, Scott Dixon was set to start 10th, and Josef Newgarden had work to do from 23rd.

Palou, Malukas, Newgarden

Those starting spots shape the opening pace of the race, with Palou at the front and Malukas close enough to attack early. Dixon’s 10th-place start keeps him within striking range, while Newgarden’s 23rd-place slot leaves him deeper in the pack than the others named here.

That is the backdrop for O'Ward’s backup-car note. A driver who is already content with the backup car has at least cleared one pre-race checkpoint, and that matters when the final day before the Indianapolis 500 is supposed to settle equipment, not raise fresh questions.

For readers tracking the race from the front of the field, the immediate picture is simple: Palou starts from the pole, Malukas from third, Dixon from 10th, and Newgarden from 23rd, while O'Ward heads into Sunday with his backup car situation under control.