Indy 500 qualifying trimmed to one weekend

Published on Tue Dec 15, 2009
<p>INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana Indianapolis 500 qualifying is being reduced to a single weekend and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will open later next year, officials of the famed 2 1/2-mile oval announced Tuesday. An endurance test for man and machine that once consumed the entire month of May with two weekends of time trials is being trimmed back to reduce costs to IndyCar teams and the Speedway. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Speedway will open May 15 for rookie testing with practice May 17-21 ahead of pole qualifying on May 22 with the field to be filled the next day in the final qualifying sessions for the May 30 race. </p><p> </p><p>Speedway board of directors approved the change last week. </p><p> </p><p>IndyCar teams will have a two-week break rather than the usual one-week gap after the May 1 race at Kansas.</p>