After an exhilarating round of qualifiers, the Indianapolis 500 has given us a treasure trove of interesting statistics and historic moments to savor. Let's delve into some of the standout facts from this year's qualifying session.

One noteworthy observation comes from veteran IndyCar communications expert Arni Sribhen, who noted that Team Penske achieved a remarkable feat by sweeping the front row for the first time since 1988. Interestingly, both in 1988 and this year, the pole sitter drove a Pennzoil-sponsored car (Rick Mears in '88 and Scott McLaughlin this year), the second-place starter was a one-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 (Danny Sullivan in '88 and Will Power this year), and the third-place starter was the defending champion of the '500' (Al Unser in '88 and Josef Newgarden this year).

Racing statistician Scott Richards provided a wealth of fascinating nuggets leading up to the race. One standout statistic is that this year marks the first time since 1991 that there are two former winners on the front row, each with at least 12 previous Indianapolis 500 starts. Chevrolet also made history by sweeping the front row for the ninth time, the second most among engine brands, behind only Offenhauser (15). This achievement marks Chevrolet's first front-row sweep since 2019.

In terms of individual achievements, Will Power tied Harry Hartz and Wilbur Shaw for the most front-row starts in Indianapolis 500 history without winning a pole, with five. Moreover, it has been six races since Power's last front-row start in 2018, and combined with Newgarden's eight-year drought, it is the first time in 500 history that two front-row droughts of such length have been broken in the same year.

Josef Newgarden, who starts third, ended an eight-race drought since his last front-row start in 2016, marking the longest gap of its kind since Scott Brayton's ten-race gap between 1985-1995. Newgarden's starting position also makes him the first defending champion to start on the front row since 2017 when Alexander Rossi achieved the feat.

Alexander Rossi, starting fourth, breaks a seven-race drought with his first starting position inside the first two rows since 2017 when he qualified third. This record marks the longest drought of its kind since Gary Bettenhausen's 14-race gap between 1973 and 1992.

Newcomer Kyle Larson made an impressive debut in qualifying, matching Fernando Alonso's performance with a fifth-place start. This marks the best start for a driver in their first IndyCar race since Christian Lundgaard's fourth place at the Indianapolis Road Course in August 2021 and the best debut at an oval race since Alonso's fifth place at the 2017 Indianapolis 500.

Santino Ferrucci, starting sixth, achieved a feat not seen from an AJ Foyt Racing driver since Billy Boat's consecutive qualifications inside the first two rows in 1998-99.

Rinus VeeKay's seventh-place start puts him in an elite group of drivers, including Harry Hartz, Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, Mark Donohue, and Tony Kanaan, as the only drivers to start seventh or better in their first five Indianapolis 500 races.

Pato O'Ward's eighth-place start gives him the second-best average starting position through his first five 500s without starting in the first two rows, second only to Marco Andretti.

In a surprising turn of events, Chip Ganassi Racing will not have any starters higher than 14th, marking only the fourth time in their history (1990, 2013, 2019) that they have faced such a situation.

Row 7 features Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves, and Scott Dixon, who together boast a combined 62 previous starts at the Indianapolis 500, the second-highest in history, only behind the front row of 1991 (Rick Mears, AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti) who had a total of 71 starts. This row also marks the first time in history that a row has featured three drivers with at least 16 previous 500 starts.

Helio Castroneves, a four-time winner, faced a forgettable qualifying run, starting in the 20th position. It's worth noting that after 18 years of qualifying 19th or better, this marks the fourth time in the last five years that Castroneves has qualified 20th or worse, with his exception being the eighth place he secured in 2021 when he clinched the victory.

Scott Dixon, starting 21st, experiences the lowest qualifying position of his impressive 22-year career at the Indy 500. No other driver has started inside the top 20 in each of their first 21 appearances at Indianapolis.

Rows 8 and 9 consist of a mix of three veterans and three rookies, with a combined total of only four previous 500 starts. This marks the fewest previous starts for back-to-back rows in a 500 since the 2008 edition when Rows 9 and 10 had a combined total of one previous start with Milka Duno.

Lastly, Graham Rahal's qualification in the 33rd position makes him the first driver ever to start 33rd in consecutive 500 races.

With qualifying producing such a wealth of fascinating facts and historic milestones, anticipation for the Indianapolis 500 is reaching a fever pitch. Fans from around the world eagerly await the green flag on race day to witness the spectacle unfold on the iconic oval.