(Indianapolis) — Israeli-born IndyCar driver Robert Shwartzman shocked the racing world Sunday with a stunning pole-winning run for the Indianapolis 500.

Making his debut in the “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the 25-year-old Shwartzman’s four-lap average of 232.790 mph beat out a host of open-wheel racing’s biggest stars to earn the first spot on the starting grid for the May 25 race.  It’s a phenomenal speed for a driver who had never raced at an oval track before coming to The Brickyard this month.

Driving for Prema Racing, which is in its first year of IndyCar Series racing, Shwartzman becomes the first rookie to qualify for the pole position since Teo Fabi in 1983.

“Honestly, it feels like I’m dreaming,” the 25-year-old Tel Aviv native said after his history-making performance sunk in. “The car felt amazing, so fast.”

Takuma Sato, who won the Indy 500 in 2017, posted the second-fastest time and two-time runner-up Pato O’Ward took third to join Shwartzman on the front row for next Sunday’s race. Six-time series champion Scott Dixon, whose 58 IndyCar wins rank second in history, starts fourth. He is joined on the second row by Felix Rosenqvist and two-tine reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou.

A sellout crowd is expected for next Sunday’s race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the green flag expected to drop at 12:45 p.m.