2023-08-06 01:16:02
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Scott McLaughlin won his second straight pole position for the Music City Grand Prix on Saturday and his first on a street course for Team Penske this season.
The New Zealander, currently sitting fifth in the championship on points, will be looking for his second win of the year this Sunday. He finished second here a year ago, a fraction of a second behind his compatriot Scott Dixon.
McLaughlin said the qualifying session was probably the best of his IndyCar career in the Chevrolet.
“It was really good,” he said. “Obviously it’s the same car we raced last year.
It was McLaughlin’s fourth career pole, taking it on the final lap of the Fast Six round. He beat Mexican Pato O’Ward, who will be second on the grid, by more than three tenths of a second.
Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta missed out on what would have been his second pole here and will start third, alongside championship leader Alex Palou of Spain.
Dixon, a six-time series champion, crashed in the 11th turn, damaging the front end of his Chip Ganassi Racing car with 18 seconds remaining in Fast 12. He will start twelfth, two places ahead of where he started before winning last year in this circuit.
Linus Lundqvist, who takes the place of Simon Pagenaud in the Meyer Shank Racing car 60, was the best rookie in the standings and will start eleventh in his IndyCar debut.
Marcus Ericsson, who won the opening race here in 2021, will start from 20th position
Rain cut Saturday’s second practice to just 30 minutes and delayed qualifying with a revamped schedule by almost four hours. Sunday’s 80-lap race would start at noon (1600 GMT).
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