Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood in the No.27 Honda Honda set the fastest time as INDYCAR took to the Mid-Ohio Sportscar course on Friday.
Kirkwood who set a fastest time of 01:05.8272s commented saying:
We’re really fast right now. “As long as we continue that, we’ll be in a really good spot. We’ve come here this year with maybe a different philosophy, and it seems to be working out.”
Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward who won here last season was second fastest. Defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and current runaway leader Alex Palou in the No.10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda with a 93-point lead was third fastest.
Josef Newgarden who has won here twice was fourth fastest just ahead of Marcus Ericsson in the No.28 FOX Sports Honda was fifth.
Speaking following the action Newgarden said:
It was a pretty good day. I felt pretty good about our car. It looks like we have speed in all three cars, so happy with what Chevrolet’s brought and what the team’s brought. It’s going to be another hot one, but everybody feels rested and ready for a strong weekend.”
Kyffin Simpson was sixth fastest just ahead of Colton Herta.
Graham Rahal was eighth fastest for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and speaking following the action he said:
I felt like we were okay. I don’t think I nailed it (the lap) on the alternate tires; I felt okay. But in Turn 9 I kind of blew it so I think there is another tenth of a second there. Overall, the Fifth Third Bank team is pretty solid. Hopefully there is a little more speed to be found before tomorrow, but we’ll see what it gives us.”
Christian Lundgaard was ninth just ahead of Marcus Armstrong who rounded out the top ten.
Nolan Siegel was 11th just ahead of Devlin DeFrancesco.
Santino Ferrucci was 13th fastest in the No.14 Sexton Properties Chevrolet just ahead of Christian Rasmussen and Scott McLaughlin.
Louis Foster was 16th just ahead of Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon.
Callum Ilott was 18th just ahead of Conor Daly while Alexander Rossi was 20th just ahead of Team Penske’s Will Power.
Sting Ray Robb was 22nd for Juncos Hollinger Racing.
Jacob Abel was 23rd just ahead of Rinus VeeKay. David Malukas went off track and ended the day in 25th and speaking afterwards he said:
Just lost the rears. It was our last lap before we were going to come in so I pushed a little harder. I went to downshift and it kicked the rears out. I was in there (medical trailer) watching TV and it was happening to a lot of other guys. The track has been really slick. It caught me off guard. I tried to save it, but going up that hill it just swung around and I couldn’t keep it underneath me. Unfortunately.”
Robert Shwartzman was 26th while Felix Rosenqvist suffered a hybrid issue.