Alex Palou Dominates to Secure Sonsio Grand Prix Pole Position

The excitement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course reached new heights as Alex Palou continued his dominant streak in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

With a masterful tire strategy and an exceptionally fast car, Palou clinched the NTT P1 Award for the Sonsio Grand Prix.

This marks his second consecutive pole position of the year and his second in a row for this race.

He further solidified his lead in the series standings.

Alex Palou’s Dominance Continues

Alex Palou, driving the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, has been a force to be reckoned with this season.

Winning three of the first four races, Palou’s performance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course was spectacular.

He saved a set of new Firestone Firehawk alternate tires for his final run in the Firestone Fast Six.

This helped him secure the top spot with a lap time of 1 minute, 9.3417 seconds.

Strategic Tire Management

Palou’s decision to save a set of new soft tires for the final round of qualifying proved to be a game-changer.

While other drivers used their new tires in the first round, Palou’s fresh set gave him a significant advantage.

*We had a bit of an advantage there with a set of new soft tires,* Palou mentioned.

*Maybe that’s where the time comes.*

The No. 10 DHL car has been consistently fast all season, but on this particular day, it was *on fire.*

Graham Rahal Leads RLL’s Historic Day

Graham Rahal, driving the No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL), qualified second with a lap time of 1:09.7516.

Rahal’s performance led a historic day for RLL, which saw three of its drivers make it into the Firestone Fast Six for the first time.

Rookie Louis Foster Shines

Rookie Louis Foster delivered a career-best performance by qualifying third in the No. 45 Mi-Jack Honda of RLL with a lap time of 1:09.8801.

Foster’s previous best was a 10th place finish in March at The Thermal Club.

His impressive lap time and consistent balance throughout the day were pivotal for the team.

Devlin DeFrancesco’s Strong Showing

Devlin DeFrancesco, driving the No. 30 EVTEC Honda, tied his career-best qualifying position by securing fifth place with a lap time of 1:09.9432.

DeFrancesco’s performance showcased the team’s collective strength and potential for the race.

Other Notable Qualifiers

Scott McLaughlin will start fourth in the 85-lap race, driving the No. 3 Sonsio Vehicle Protection Chevrolet for Team Penske.

His best lap time was 1:09.8910.

Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden rounded out the Firestone Fast Six with a lap time of 1:09.9829 in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet.

Will Power Just Misses Out

Five-time IMS road course winner Will Power narrowly missed putting three Team Penske cars into the Firestone Fast Six for the first time this season.

He ended up seventh with a lap time of 1:09.9973 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.

Kyffin Simpson’s Consistent Performance

Second-year driver Kyffin Simpson continued to show his increasing pace by qualifying 10th in the No. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

This ties his career-best starting spot from the race last weekend at Barber Motorsports Park.

Challenges for Other Drivers

While some drivers celebrated their best performances, others faced challenges. Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach winner Kyle Kirkwood, the only driver besides Palou to win this season, qualified a disappointing 21st in the No. 27 PreFab Honda fielded by Andretti Global.

The qualifying session’s results set the stage for an exciting 85-lap race on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast on FOX, the FOX Sports app, and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Before the race, a 25-minute warmup session will take place at 11:30 a.m. on FS1 and the FOX Sports app.

For more information on qualifying results and race updates, visit the official INDYCAR website.