Alex Palou takes Laguna Seca pole as Team Penske falters

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Palou was the only driver in the top five in the series standings to even make it to the fast Six, with Penske’s own two-time champions, Will Power and Josef Newgarden, failing to advance from Round 1.

The #10 Honda will share the front row with the #27 Andretti Global Honda of Kyle Kirkwood, with Felix Rosenqvist claiming third in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda and Colton Herta fourth in the #26 Andretti w/ Curb-Agajanian Honda.

The McLaren IndyCar Team’s Alexander Rossi was the only Chevrolet driver to make the final stanza of qualifying, in which he took fifth, ahead of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Christian Lundgaard.

McLaughlin ended up seventh, although still well ahead of his team-mates, with Scott Dixon another notable to not progress to the Fast Six.

No one had new alternate tyres left for that pole-deciding round but only Rosenqvist started on the primary compound.

Kirkwood was quickest after the first flyers on a 1:07.7047s, from Rossi and Herta, with Palou and Rosenqvist opting for prep laps.

Palou clocked a 1:08.2055s next time through to sit third at the end of the opening runs, as the rest went out again.

Lundgaard (#45 Honda) went second on a 1:07.8356s before Herta shifted the benchmark to a 1:07.2972s.

It lasted moments until Palou laid down a 1:07.1465s and then Lundgaard moved back to third with a 1:07.5112s, before the chequered flag came out.

Kirkwood then found a 1:07.2204s to put himself back on the front row and while Palou had bailed out of another flying lap, it mattered not for the Spaniard given Rosenqvist moved up to third on a 1:07.2917s and Rossi (#5 Chevrolet) to fifth on a 1:07.3594s.

There were no Penske cars in the Fast Six after McLaughlin was knocked out right at the end of Round 2 of qualifying, which was topped by Palou on a 1:07.2786s.

When Kirkwood went second on a 1:07.2841s, McLaughlin was precariously placed in sixth spot as the chequered flag came out.

Herta then knocked him out with a 1:07.3150s which lifted Car #26 to third, before McLaughlin got himself back in with a 1:07.3994s which bumped Romain Grosjean.

However, McLaughlin was only back to sixth and that became seventh when Rossi clocked a 1;07.3638s right at the end of the stanza.

Car #3 will thus start seventh tomorrow, with the #77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet of Grosjean alongside.

Pato O’Ward (#5 McLaren Chevrolet) qualified ninth and Scott Dixon (#9 CGR Honda) could only make 10th with a 1:07.5874s on his final lap, ahead of Marcus Armstrong (#11 CGR Honda) and David Malukas (#66 MSR Honda).

Back in Round 1, Grosjean topped Group 1 on a 1:07.6813s while Power could only manage eighth on a 1:08.0178s on his final lap.

Penske also lost a contender for pole position in Group 2, namely Newgarden.

Palou topped that stanza on a 1:07.2751s with Newgarden sitting sixth on a 1:07.7246s when Kirkwood came across the line to clock a 1:07.6887s and nab the final transfer position.

Newgarden will thus start 14th, Power 15th, and Marcus Ericsson (#28 Andretti Honda) 18th after he too was unable to advance from Group 2.

After the Sunday morning Warm Up, Race start is due at 18:00 ET/Monday at 08:00 AEST.

Results: Qualifying