Kyle Larson rebounds on 2nd Indy 500 qualifying run

INDIANAPOLIS — Kyle Larson kept calm when something seemed amiss in his first qualifying attempt for the Indianapolis 500.

So did everyone else at Arrow McLaren.

They knew they had plenty of speed in his car, so they pushed the No. 17 back to Gasoline Alley, gave a thorough exam to the Chevrolet engine that had Larson on the verge of making the field, and headed right back to the track to give it another try.

This time, Larson was able to stand on the gas all the way through his four-lap run, posting a 232.563 mph average to put the NASCAR star in position to run for the pole. He was sixth-quickest on the first day of qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leaving him one of 12 that will shoot for the first spot on the starting grid Sunday.

“I’ll definitely take that,” said Larson, who also will try to become the first driver since Tony Stewart in 2001 to complete the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte on the same day May 26. “Proud of the team for not all of us freaking out.”

There was reason for concern, though, during what started off as a tough day for Arrow McLaren.

Larson was the sixth of 34 cars onto the track, a favorable draw given that quicker speeds tend to happen earlier in the day, when the weather is cooler. And he was off to a good start when, late in the attempt, Larson said his engine seemed to miss; it turned out to be a sort of non-fatal hiccup that cost several other drivers promising runs throughout the day.

Larson’s team wanted him to finish and post a time, but he played it safe and came down pit road.

“We were happy with the speed we had in the 17 before the event happened there,” said Arrow McLaren team principal Gavin Ward, who is working with Hendrick Motorsports to qualify Larson for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Larson could not eclipse 233 mph on any of his four laps when he returned to the track, leaving him off the pace set by Team Penske, which locked down the top three spots with defending race winner Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin and Will Power.

Still, the run was good enough for Larson to join Arrow McLaren teammate Alexander Rossi in the top six.

“Honestly, I feel like the nerves were a lot less going the second time, even not completing that first run,” Larson said. “I’ve never gotten to qualify like that where you get multiple shots at it.”

Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon, who grew up in nearby Pittsboro and dreamed of running the Indy 500,…