The risk and reward of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying were on full display Saturday morning during pre-qualifying practice, as Felix Rosenqvist reset the speed limit while Marcus Armstrong suffered a heavy crash less than three hours before time trials begin.

Rosenqvist turned the fastest lap of the week, 234.176 mph, in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda fielded by Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian. Rosenqvist reached that speed during a four-lap qualifying simulation that he aborted because of instability created by west winds of 15 mph, with gusts reaching 25 mph, and glare from the mid-morning sun.

SEE: Practice Results | Qualifying Format | Qualifying Order

“I just kind of missed the corner a little bit,” Rosenqvist said. “I think it was more me than the car, to be honest. I just kind of struggled to distinguish the corner in the sun and the oil dry on the track. It just kind of got awkward, and I didn’t feel like staying in it.

“The car felt great. Looked like it rolled pretty good.”

While Rosenqvist put MSR on top of the charts, his teammate wasn’t as fortunate. Eleven minutes into the session, Armstrong’s No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda wiggled in Turn 1, spun and made hard contact with the SAFER Barrier with the rear and left side of his car. The car then made secondary contact in Turn 2. The big hit inflicted heavy damage to the car.

Armstrong was helped from the car by the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team. He was released from the IU Health Emergency Medical Center at the track after evaluation.

Two-time reigning series champion Alex Palou, who has won four of the first five races this season, was second fastest this morning at 233.502 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Josef Newgarden, aiming for an unprecedented three straight “500” victories, was third at 233.173 in the No. 2 Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Team Penske Chevrolet.

Colton Herta ended up fourth at 232.892 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global. Six-time series champion Scott Dixon rounded out the top five at 232.858 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, as CGR was the only team with two drivers in the top five.

Dixon is aiming to tie fellow legend Rick Mears with his sixth Indianapolis 500 pole. The first day of qualifying takes place from 11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. today (11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., FS1; 1:30-4 p.m., FS2; 4-6 p.m., FOX; FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Positions 13-30 in the starting field will be set today, with the Last Row Shootout, Top 12 and Firestone Fast Six qualifying sessions Sunday afternoon deciding the rest of the 33-car starting grid.

The 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 25 (10 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).