 The top six drivers were split evenly by engine; half running Honda engines, and the other half Chevrolet. It was also the first time in the 2012 season that six different teams were represented in the third qualifying round. Hunter-Reay and Power traded fastest times early in the session before Pagenaud and Viso went quicker. Power and Dixon then set times under 71 seconds, and then improved upon their own laps to finish as the top-two. Dixon set the fastest time; 1: 10.3162: just four thousandths of a second quicker than Power. Tagliani was third, joined on the second row by Pagenaud, while Viso and Hunter-Reay qualified on the third row of the grid. Rahal and Simona de Silvestro were both subject to ten-place grid penalties for engine changes made in mid-May, dropping them to 17th and 25th on the grid respectively. Rubens Barrichello was also given a ten-place penalty for changing his chassis between qualifying and the race, placing him 24th.
