Scott McLaughlin Takes Pole Position, Josef Newgarden Secures Second for IndyCar Double-Header Weekend at Milwaukee
In a thrilling qualifying session for the IndyCar double-header weekend at Milwaukee, Team Penske drivers Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden dominated the top two positions, with McLaughlin claiming pole and Newgarden taking second for both races. The unique qualifying format saw each driver complete two single-car laps, with the first lap setting their position for Saturday night’s opening race and the second lap determining their spot for Sunday’s event. The qualification order was reversed based on the championship standings.
Newgarden, who will incur a nine-position starting grid penalty for the first race due to an unapproved engine change, was the first to hit the track and initially set the mark for both races with a 161.640 mph lap and a 160.983 mph lap. However, McLaughlin soon surged to a 162.341 mph on his first lap, securing pole position for the opening race. Despite a slight drop in pace to 160.912 mph on his second lap, McLaughlin narrowly missed out on a double pole.
“I’m thrilled to pick up another pole here,” McLaughlin said. “The car has been great at every oval we’ve gone to this season. To achieve another pole is fantastic. I did try to push it hard into Turns 3 and 4 on the second lap – we might’ve been able to double it up.”
Newgarden, who will start second in both races, claimed his second pole of the year. “We went aggressive,” Newgarden explained. “We’ve been on the other end of this when we weren’t aggressive enough in qualifying and it really bit us, so probably overcooked it slightly there, but the car was still good.”
Race 1
- Meyer Shank Racing’s David Malukas qualified third for the first race, ahead of Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi and Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist. All three drivers will move up a spot due to Newgarden’s penalty.
- Will Power, the third member of the Team Penske trio, ended up sixth, while championship leader Alex Palou struggled to 13th for the first race.
Race 2
- Marcus Armstrong put the No. 11 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda third on the grid for the second race, ahead of Power and Lundqvist.
- Palou managed to qualify 10th for the second race.
As the IndyCar 2023 season heats up, this weekend’s double-header at Milwaukee promises to be an exciting affair. Stay tuned for the latest IndyCar news, IndyCar schedule, IndyCar standings, and IndyCar results.
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