The third day of practice for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 saw Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward take the top spot, clocking an impressive 227.308 mph during traffic runs early in the six-hour session. The 27-year-old Mexican driver set the pace in what was a smooth, incident-free day at the iconic Brickyard.

Four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves wasn’t far behind, posting a 226.841 mph lap in the #06 Meyer Shank Racing Honda to secure second place. He was joined by teammates Marcus Armstrong and Felix Rosenqvist, who finished third and fourth respectively, showing strong form for the team. Alexander Rossi, running a fresh engine in his #20 ECR Chevrolet, rounded out the top five with a 226.364 mph run.

Further down the order, Sting Ray Robb of Juncos Hollinger Racing took sixth, while AJ Foyt Racing rookie Caio Collet impressed in seventh. Romain Grosjean placed eighth in the #18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda. Six-time IndyCar champion and 2008 Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon came in ninth, just ahead of three-time Indy 500 pole-sitter Ed Carpenter in tenth.

In the no-tow category—a key metric for raw speed without drafting help—two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato led the way with a 223.828 mph run in the #45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin was second at 223.738 mph, followed by teammate David Malukas at 223.391 mph. McLaughlin noted, “Solid day today in qualifying trim. The Pennzoil Chevy feels pretty strong in race and now qualifying trim. We’ll find out again tomorrow when we turn up the boost.”

Not all drivers had a smooth session. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s Jack Harvey managed only 16 laps due to a fuel-related mechanical issue—the fewest of the day—while Graham Rahal logged just 19 laps for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. For fans tracking the build-up to race day, this practice session offered a clear snapshot of who’s finding speed early, with O’Ward and Castroneves looking like early contenders.