Sports
Defending champion Alex Palou on pole for Indy 500
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) prepares to get in his car Thursday, May 14, 2026, during practice for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Alex Palou put himself in prime position to defend his Indianapolis 500 title by winning the pole in qualifying Sunday for the May 24 race.
The Spaniard earned his second career pole with a four-lap average speed of 232.248 mph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The four-time and reigning IndyCar Series champion, Palou also won the pole for the race in 2023 and finished fourth. Helio Castroneves, a four-time Indy 500 winner, was the last defending champion to be on the pole for the following year’s race in 2010.
“I have no words,” said Palou, 29, of being on the pole for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. “That was incredible. It just feels incredible. Great start to the month of May.
“Did not expect it. You could see the celebration was really high (after winning the pole) because this morning when we woke up, we did not expect this speed.”
Palou’s No. 10 Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing is on the front row with Chevrolets driven by Alexander Rossi of Ed Carpenter Racing and David Malukas of Team Penske. Rossi, the 2016 champion, averaged a career-best 231.990 mph, while Malukas was third in 231.877.
Palou’s wife, Esther, drew the 31st of 33 driver positions for him in the qualifying order in a blind draw on Friday night. Then qualifying was washed out by rain on Saturday, making Sunday the entire process for one round of qualifying runs and knockout rounds from 33 to 12 to six to determine the starting grid.
Palou was 11th in the first round with a four-lap average of 231.155, then was second-fastest in the next round (231.665) behind Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing. Palou’s crew was able to make adjustments for warmer temperatures on a sunny Sunday at the hottest time of the day.
“I have to say being on the 31st — thanks to my wife, by the way, for drawing that number — I think being there allowed us to work on those conditions,” Palou said. “It’s not easy to do everything the way this team is executing.”
Rosenqvist’s Honda was fourth-fastest (231.375) to make Row 2 with the Chevrolets of Santino Ferrucci (230.846) of A.J. Foyt Racing and Pato O’Ward (230.442) of Arrow McLaren.
Katherine Legge qualified 27th in the No. 11 Chevrolet to start on Row 9. Legge plans to race in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600, which would make her the first female driver to complete the “Double” if successful on May 24.
The Double calls for a driver to compete in two premiere races, covering 1,100 miles with barely a moment to spare between the Indy and NASCAR Cup Series races. Five drivers previously have attempted the double since John Andretti hatched the idea and completed it in 1994 for A.J. Foyt Racing.
Legge, 45, is competing in the Indy 500 for A.J. Foyt Racing and plans to fly directly to the No. 78 car for Live Fast Motorsports in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, N.C., which starts a few hours later. She has entered and qualified for four previous Indy 500 starts and is the only woman in the field in 2026.
2026 Indianapolis 500 starting lineup
With starting position, car number, engine, team and qualifying speed (4-lap average) on Sunday:
Row 1
1. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, Chip Ganassi Racing, 232.248
2. (20) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, Ed Carpenter Racing, 231.990
3. (12) David Malukas, Chevrolet, Team Penske, 231.877
Row 2
4. (60), Felix Rosenqvist, Honda, Meyer Shank Racing, 231.375
5. (14) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, A.J. Foyt Racing, 230.846
6. (5) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 230.442
Row 3
7. (8) Kyffin Simpson, Honda, Chip Ganassi Racing, 230.883
8. (23) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, 230.712
9. (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, Team Penske, 230.577
Row 4
10. (4) Caio Collet, Chevrolet, A.J. Foyt Racing, 230.539
11. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, Chip Ganassi Racing, 230.347
12. (76) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, Juncos Hollinger, 229.585
Row 5
13. (75) Takuma Sato, Honda, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, 230.995
14. (33) Ed Carpenter, Chevrolet, Ed Carpenter Racing, 230.829
15. (06) Helio Castroneves, Honda, Meyer Shank Racing, 230.811
Row 6
16. (21) Christian Rasmussen, Chevrolet, Ed Carpenter Racing, 230.705
17. (66) Marcus Armstrong, Honda, Meyer Shank Racing, 230.701
18. (28) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, Andretti Global, 230.667
Row 7
19. (7) Christian Lundgaard, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 230.661
20. (26) Will Power, Honda, Andretti Global, 230.279
21. (6) Nolan Siegel, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 230.213
Row 8
22. (45) Louis Foster, Honda, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, 230.212
23. (31) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren, 230.202
24. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, Team Penske, 230.165
Row 9
25. (18) Romain Grosjean, Honda, Dale Coyne Racing, 229.791
26. (27) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, Andretti Global, 229.067
27. (11) Katherine Legge, Chevrolet, A.J. Foyt Racing, 229.456
Row 10
28. (47) Mick Schumacher, Honda, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, 229.450
29. (24) Jack Harvey, Chevrolet, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, 229.207
30. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, 229.017
Row 11
31. (19) Dennis Hauger, Honda, Dale Coyne Racing, 228.982
32. (51) Jacob Abel, Chevrolet, Abel Motorsports, 226.169
33. (77) Sting Ray Robb, Chevrolet, Juncos Hollinger, 226.572
–Field Level Media
Sports
Corbin Carroll helps Diamondbacks beat Rockies with 2-home run game
May 17, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) hits a two run home run in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Corbin Carroll hit two homers and drove in three runs Sunday to help the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks post an 8-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
After a 105-minute weather delay to start the series finale, Michael Soroka (6-2) threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out eight and walking two. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered and Gabriel Moreno had three hits for Arizona, which won its first road series since taking two of three from the Baltimore Orioles from April 13-15.
Michael Lorenzen (2-6) suffered his fourth straight loss for Colorado, allowing seven runs (six earned) on nine hits across 4 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking three. Willi Castro drove in two runs for the Rockies, who dropped their sixth game in eight tries.
Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo worked back-to-back two-out walks in the third before Nolan Arenado’s RBI single put Arizona ahead 1-0. Gurriel followed with a single to double the Diamondbacks’ lead.
After Moreno’s leadoff single in the fourth, Ildemaro Vargas’ RBI base hit pushed the Arizona advantage to 3-0. Carroll then crushed his sixth home run of the season, a 431-foot shot to give the visitors a five-run lead.
The Rockies got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth. TJ Rumfield, Troy Johnston and Castro laced consecutive two-out doubles to trim the deficit to 5-2.
In the fifth, Gurriel connected on his first homer of the season to push the lead to four. Moreno then singled, stole second and advanced to third on catcher Brett Sullivan’s throwing error before Jose Fernandez’s single extended Arizona’s lead back to five.
Blas Castano relieved Lorenzen after 101 pitches.
Castano allowed Carroll’s second homer of the game in the sixth, this time a 448-foot solo shot.
Against Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt in the bottom of the eighth, Hunter Goodman singled, Rumfield was hit by a pitch and Johnston walked to load the bases with no outs. Castro’s sac fly and Jake McCarthy cut the Rockies’ deficit to 8-4.
Taylor Clarke then replaced Pfaadt and allowed Kyle Karros’ RBI single and Brett Sullivan’s sac fly, pulling Colorado within two.
Paul Sewald threw a scoreless ninth to earn his 10th save in 11 attempts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Inter Miami blank Portland to score 1st win in new stadium
May 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts to chants from the fans after the game against the Portland Timbers at Nu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Lionel Messi scored his 12th goal of the season and added his sixth assist as Inter Miami defeated the Portland Timbers 2-0 on Sunday evening to finally secure their first win in their new stadium.
German Berterame added his fifth goal for Miami, which had previously gone 0-3-1 at Nu Stadium, the permanent facility for the Herons that opened its doors in early April.
Dayne St. Claire made four saves to keep him and his club’s third clean sheet of the campaign and first since a 2-0 win at Real Salt Lake on April 22.
Portland lost 2-0 on the road for a fourth time this season, including three of their last five away fixtures. The Timbers were outshot 22-16 overall and 9-4 in efforts on target.
Messi sits tied with Dallas’ Petar Musa and one behind Chicago’s Hugo Cuypers for the MLS scoring lead. The 38-year-old Argentine has now contributed five goals and all six of his assists in his last four games as he prepares to play one last World Cup this summer.
He got started early Sunday, forcing James Pantemis into a save from close range in the fourth minute, and he had his goal 27 minutes later.
Messi began the attack from beyond the penalty arc, playing a pass to Luis Suarez on his left and then making a run into the center of the box.
Suarez fed Telasco Segovia, who played a clever backheel into Messi’s path for a simple finish into the right half of the goal as Pantemis guessed with his lunge in the opposite direction.
Messi’s assist 11 minutes later was of the vintage variety that recalled his best days as an FC Barcelona star and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Rodrigo de Paul’s early cross from the right found Messi, who used his chest to control it, laid it off to Suarez on his left and then quickly reached a return pass.
From there, he weaved into the penalty area on the dribble, slaloming between four defenders before laying it off to Berterame on his left for a first-time finish from about 10 yards out.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Caitlin Clark helps Fever slide past Storm
May 17, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Seattle Storm guard Flau’jae Johnson (4) shoots against Indiana Fever forward Monique Billings (25) in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Caitlin Clark scored 21 points and came three rebounds shy of a triple-double as the Indiana Fever won a home game for the first time in three outings this season by beating the Seattle Storm 89-78 on Sunday night at Indianapolis.
Clark compiled 10 assists by early in the fourth quarter in a game that the Fever controlled from the early minutes.
Kelsey Mitchell and reserve Sophie Cunningham both finished with 17 points for the Fever (2-2), who overcame 20 turnovers.
Clark made all nine of her free-throw attempts as part of the Fever’s 22-for-22 shooting at the foul line. Clark also led Indiana with two blocked shots.
Indiana’s Aliyah Boston (lower leg) missed the first game of her four-year career.
Natisha Hiedeman poured in 19 points, Flau’jae Johnson posted 14 points, Zia Cooke had 13 points off the bench and Jade Melbourne added 12 points for the Storm (1-3), who shot 6-for-23 on 3-point attempts.
Seattle, which trailed by as many as 20 points in the second half, made a mini-surge in the final minutes, closing to within 89-77 on Hiedeman’s 3-pointer with about 2½ minutes to play. There wasn’t another made field goal in the game.
Indiana took a double-digit lead about five minutes into the game, scored 32 first-quarter points and went on to lead 55-44 at halftime. Clark had 17 points, boosted by a pair of 3s, by the break.
The Storm were held to six points across the first five minutes of the third quarter. They also had trouble cranking out points in the fourth quarter and they trailed 83-65 with less than six minutes to play.
The Fever put a big emphasis on defense after shortcomings at that end of the court in their first three games. They held the Storm to less than 20 points in the first and third quarters.
Seattle had allowed 77 points through three quarters and that was more than the Storm scored in their most-recent game in an 86-73 loss Wednesday at Toronto.
–Field Level Media
