Indy's own Conor Daly starts strong as Indy 500 practice opens
Noblesville's Conor Daly lands in the top three while Alex Palou rebounds late to lead the day.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Opening day for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 featured six hours of practice around the famed 2. 5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Noblesville native Conor Daly finished among the top three on the speed charts, recording a best lap of 225.
838 mph. Daly returns for his 13th Indianapolis 500 start, driving the No. 23 Chevrolet for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
The race marks the team’s lone IndyCar entry of the season, and Daly’s first Indy 500 appearance since spending 2025 as a full-time driver for Juncos Hollinger Racing, where he finished 18th in the championship standings. “Just a good Day 1,” Daly said. “I’m very happy with the mechanical balance in the car right now.
” Much of the early session consisted of single-car runs, with pack drafting not becoming common until later in the afternoon. Even then, traffic remained manageable, and the day unfolded without major interruptions. Despite limited drafting throughout most of the session, Daly said he was pleased with the early feel of the car and believes the team has a clear direction moving forward.