Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard put Arrow McLaren on top as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES gets set for Sunday’s Thermal Club Grand Prix. O’Ward starts the race from P1 after setting a time of 01:39.9567s, while Lundgaard set a time of 01:40.1245s. Championship leader Alex Palou in the No.10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda starts the race from third place.
Andretti Global had a great session, with Colton Herta starting the race fourth while Marcus Ericsson started the race from fifth place. It was an excellent qualifying for Ed Carpenter Racing’s Alexander Rossi, who rolled off from sixth place in the No.20 Java House Chevrolet just ahead of Meyer Shank Racing’s Marcus Armstrong, who did an excellent job for MSR with a time of 01:40.6824s. Kyle Kirkwood starts the race from eighth place, just ahead of Felix Rosenqvist. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing rookie Louis Foster as the Englishman starts the race from tenth place with a time of 01:41.2256s. Marcus Armstrong commented saying:
The car is super quick, I’m really disappointed that we did not make it through there. I got impeded by another car on the first run. But, with P7 we can do some good stuff tomorrow. I feel like Meyer Shank Racing really has the car hooked up so let’s go for gold.”
Felix Rosenqvist commented saying:
It was a good recovery from practice. I had a good Q1, I had a little bit of a messy Q2 with traffic on our out lap and then traffic on my second lap, so not ideal. We are overall pretty good on the red tires, and on the black we are hopefully good in the long run.”
Scott Dixon in the No.9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda starts the race from 11th just ahead of David Malukas, who had a fantastic day for AJ Foyt Racing. Dale Coyne Racing’s Rinus VeeKay continued the team’s great start to te season with 13th on the grid while Santino Ferrucci starts the race from 13th place.
The result for AJ Foyt Racing was made all the better given that both Malukas and Ferrucci start the race ahead of all three Penske drivers given their technical alliance with Penske.
Conor Daly had a solid day for Juncos Hollinger Racing as he rolls off from 15th place just ahead of Nolan Siegel. Team Penske endured a tough day with Josef Newgarden being their fastest driver, starting the race from 17th place just ahead of Graham Rahal and Christian Rasmussen who starts 19th. Kyffin Simpson starts the race from 20th for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Will Power in the No.12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet starts the race from 21st place just ahead of PREMA Racing’s Callum Ilott. Jacob Abel starts 23rd just ahead of Sting Ray Robb.
Scott McLaughlin starts the race from 25th just of Devlin DeFrancesco, while Robert Schwartzman rounded out the order in 27th.