Australia’s Will Power has successfully qualified for the Fast Nine shootout for pole position for next weekend’s Indianapolis 500.

Power rallied late in the session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday (Sunday AM AEST), posting the third fastest speed of the day.

The former IndyCar series champion admits his car was on edge during that final attempt however.

“This is the hardest qualifying I’ve ever done at this place,” Power said.

“It was very hairy on the last lap. It was nerve wracking, sitting there and wondering if we had the speed and all that.

“We’d been knocked out of the nine, so I am just happy to be there, honestly.”

Power’s late run means he now has the chance to chase pole position in Sunday’s (Monday AM AEST) shootout.

“We need a little bit more,” he said.

“It will be a good battle tomorrow.

“The good news is, if it was for pole today we wouldn’t have made it. We still have a shot.”

Rookie Matt Brabham has successfully qualified for the iconic 500-mile race.

The grandson of three-time Formula One world champion Sir Jack Brabham will become the third generation of his family to race at the famed 2.5 mile oval.

“We’re here and I’ve made it and I’m going to be racing in the Indianapolis 500. How cool is that?,” Brabham said.

“It’s a pretty special thing to be the third generation of Brabham to have a start in this race and to be only the third family to do that in 100 years.

“The Brabhams and this place are just steeped in history.”

The pole position will be determined in the Fast Nine Shootout and the rest of the 33-car grid will be set at Pole Day on Sunday.