IndyCar Pole Position Thriller: Scott McLaughlin Sets Blistering Pace, Will Power Settles for Runner-Up
In a blistering display of speed, Scott McLaughlin secured the fastest pole run in Indy 500 history with a four-lap average of 234.220mph, leaving his Team Penske teammate Will Power in the runner-up spot. The 43-year-old Aussie Power, a two-time IndyCar Series champion, clocked a respectable 233.917mph average, but knew his chances were slim as soon as he saw McLaughlin’s opening lap.
“It sucks, man,” Power admitted. “As soon as I saw the first lap, I knew it was over.”
This marks Power’s fifth front row start in the Indy 500, but his first since capturing his only win in the famed event in 2018.
The Elusive Indy 500 Pole
The pole position has eluded Power in 17 starts in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Despite holding the record for most IndyCar Series poles with 70, he remains determined to secure the top spot.
“Yeah, I just keep getting seconds this year, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get this pole,” Power said. “For some weird reasons I just think it’s one of those things where the racing gods go, ‘Yeah, you can have the pole record, but you’re certainly not going to get this one.'”
Power has started second in three of the five points-paying races this season in the IndyCar Series and acknowledges the stress that comes with qualifying.
“The two days of qualifying is very stressful. You put a lot on the line, and it’s really hard to have the quickest car and the quickest team on that year.”
Penske’s Front Row Lock-Out
However, Power was proud to be part of a Penske front row lock-out, alongside teammate Josef Negarden, the defending Indy 500 winner, who took third. This marks the second time Penske has swept the front row, with the first instance happening in 1988.
“I was pretty certain one of our cars would get pole back at Long Beach [last month],” Power said. “In the offseason, to be honest, I just knew how much work we had done. Pretty cool to get a front row lock-out. I definitely like second place this year.”
Perhaps tongue-in-cheek, Power joked about his ability to snag runner-up results, saying, “It’s just every single weekend it’s either second in the race or second in qualifying, so I’ll continue that for the rest of the year. Maybe I’ll get a championship, and that will be a first, so it’s good stuff.”
The Indy 500 is set to take place on May 28, and fans can look forward to an exciting weekend of racing.
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