The #3 Chevrolet is set to be second onto the race track when Day 1 Qualifying starts tomorrow at The Brickyard.
Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood (#27 Honda) will have the honour of the first four-lap run of the day after crew member Carlos De Senna Fernandes drew the #1 coin.
A combination of drivers, wives/girlfriends, children, team executives, crew members, sponsor representatives, and even a dog – Sting Ray Robb borrowing Rinus and Carmen VeeKay’s puppy to help him pick a coin – were sent up on stage to make the selections.
The draw was conducted in order of classification from today’s Fast Friday session, with Andretti Social Media Admin Hannah O’Brien picking 29th for pace-setter Colton Herta (#26 Honda).
An earlier run is considered advantageous, and hence McLaughlin must be considered an even stronger favourite for provisional pole position given he set the second-quickest non-tow lap and second-quickest four-lap average on Fast Friday.
The first aim tomorrow is to make the Fast 12 and remain on contention for pole position, which will be decided on Sunday (local time).
The next will be to qualify in the top 30 and see off the danger of being bumped.
With 34 cars in the field and the starting grid being 11 rows of three, one entry will be eliminated in Sunday’s Last Chance Qualifying, when the final row will be locked in.
Every driver is guaranteed tomorrow of at least one, four-lap qualifying run, after which they may choose to withdraw their time and go for a second run (and more) if time permits.
Practice 6 starts on Saturday at 08:30 ET/22:30 AEST, followed by Day 1 Qualifications at Saturday 11:00 ET/Sunday 01:00 AEST.
Results: Qualifying Draw
| Pos | Num | Driver | C/E/T |
| 1 | 27 | Kyle Kirkwood | D/H/F |
| 2 | 3 | Scott McLaughlin | D/C/F |
| 3 | 4 | Kyffin Simpson | D/H/F |
| 4 | 21 | Rinus VeeKay | D/C/F |
| 5 | 77 | Romain Grosjean | D/C/F |
| 6 | 17 | Kyle Larson | D/C/F |
| 7 | 78 | Agustin Canapino | D/C/F |
| 8 | 6 | Callum Ilott | D/C/F |
| 9 | 12 | Will Power | D/C/F |
| 10 | 2 | Josef Newgarden | D/C/F |
| 11 | 11 | Marcus Armstrong | D/H/F |
| 12 | 18 | Nolan Siegel | D/H/F |
| 13 | 14 | Santino Ferrucci | D/C/F |
| 14 | 45 | Christian Lundgaard | D/H/F |
| 15 | 28 | Marcus Ericsson | D/H/F |
| 16 | 8 | Linus Lundqvist | D/H/F |
| 17 | 98 | Marco Andretti | D/H/F |
| 18 | 20 | Ed Carpenter | D/C/F |
| 19 | 51 | Katherine Legge | D/H/F |
| 20 | 24 | Conor Daly | D/C/F |
| 21 | 30 | Pietro Fittipaldi | D/H/F |
| 22 | 66 | Tom Blomqvist | D/H/F |
| 23 | 5 | Pato O’Ward | D/C/F |
| 24 | 60 | Felix Rosenqvist | D/H/F |
| 25 | 10 | Alex Palou | D/H/F |
| 26 | 75 | Takuma Sato | D/H/F |
| 27 | 9 | Scott Dixon | D/H/F |
| 28 | 41 | Sting Ray Robb | D/C/F |
| 29 | 26 | Colton Herta | D/H/F |
| 30 | 23 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | D/C/F |
| 31 | 33 | Christian Rasmussen | D/C/F |
| 32 | 15 | Graham Rahal | D/H/F |
| 33 | 06 | Helio Castroneves | D/H/F |
| 34 | 7 | Alexander Rossi | D/C/F |
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