Indy 500 qualifying 2017: Pole Day Sunday TV schedule, start time

Pole position for the Indianapolis 500, as well as the other 32 spots on the grid, will be decided during Pole Day on Sunday. Defending champion Alexander Rossi, top drivers Ed Carpenter and Will Power, and rookie Fernando Alonso all made it into the top nine on Saturday.

Those nine will compete in the Fast Nine shootout on Sunday to determine the top of the grid, including pole position. Television coverage of the qualifying will begin at 4 p.m. ET, with ABC broadcasting in the United States. The sessions can also be streamed live online at WatchESPN or followed with IndyCar Race Control, a live timing service.

Alonso is the most notable name in the top nine given it was his first ever qualifying in an IndyCar. He’s driven the cars themselves far, far less than most people on the grid. But he is a two-time Formula One world champion.

The reason Alonso is competing in the Indy 500? He simply wants to. He drives for McLaren-Honda in Formula One, and his team is struggling so much that the feeling is it’d do anything to appease him — like letting him miss the Monaco Grand Prix, which occurs on the same day as the 500.

Alonso finished seventh fastest in the initial qualifying session with an average speed of 230.034 mph. He was in provisional third place after his initial run. The top nine, in order, are Ed Carpenter, Takuma Sato, Scott Dixon, JR Hildebrand, Alexander Rossi, Will Power, Fernando Alonso, Tony Kanaan, and Marco Andretti.

Those nine will face each other for the pole and the next eight spots. Positions 10-33 will also be decided on Sunday, beginning at 4 p.m. with the television broadcast.

The Indianapolis 500 will take place a week from Pole Day, on May 28. Below is all you need to know to watch Sunday’s action.

Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Date: Sunday, May 21

Time: 11 a.m.

TV: ABC, 4 p.m.

Online: WatchESPN, IndyCar Race Control

All times listed in Eastern