Last Full Day of Indy 500 Practice Rained Out

The last full session of practice for the Indianapolis 500 was canceled because of rain Friday. The forecast called for a 30% chance of thunderstorms today and mostly sunny skies Sunday.

Only seven spots remain in the 33-car starting field for the May 28 race, and chief steward Tom Binford said no decision has been made on how to fill them if this weekend’s final qualifying is canceled.

Binford said the usual procedure would be to schedule a special session limited to cars that have drawn for a position in the qualifying order. Each car would have one chance, and the seven fastest would make the field. None of the cars that have already qualified could be bumped.

That hasn’t happened since 1968, when the last five spots were filled in a special qualifying session. In 1979, a federal court ordered a special session to resolve a dispute over qualifying procedures, and two extra cars were added to the field--the only time since 1933 that more than 33 cars have started.

Three-time winner Johnny Rutherford and 1985 winner Danny Sullivan are among those still waiting to qualify this year.