Will Power secured the 69th and 70th poles of his NTT IndyCar Series career by sweeping qualifying ahead of the double-header weekend at Iowa Speedway.
Power’s first lap of 181.426mph set pole position for Saturday afternoon’s race around the .875-mile oval and his second lap of 181.578 mph was fast enough for pole for Sunday afternoon’s race. The first lap of each two-lap qualifying attempt sets the grid for Saturday’s race while the second lap sets the grid for Sunday’s race.
Last year, Power needed those poles to close in on Mario Andretti’s then-record for IndyCar poles. Now, Power’s trying to extend his record as much as possible.
“It was way cooler last year because I really needed those poles,” Power said. “But yeah, it is very cool this year because I’m trying to win this race, so … I’ve been trying to win it for a long time. Yeah, stoked to be starting up front. No better spot, obviously.”
Scott McLaughlin qualified second for both races with laps of 180.334 mph and 179.635 mph. Josef Newgarden will start third on Saturday at 180.081 mph while David Malukas is third on the grid for Sunday afternoon’s race at 178.610 mph.
“It’s my second qualifying here,” McLaughlin said on pit road. “It’s a tough place to qualify, so I’m really, really, really, really happy about that. And it’s hard, he’s got a lot of experience, old Wilbur [Power], and he’s very fast as we know. But to be, you know, best of class B, I’m pretty happy with that. I’ve got a really strong race car. I feel really strong over a long run.”
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Benjamin Pedersen failed pre-qualifying technical inspection before a morning rain shower delayed qualifying. IndyCar officials did not allow the A. J. Foyt Racing crew to submit the car for inspection after the rain and the No. 55 Chevrolet will start 28th in both races.
Jack Harvey landed a nine grid position penalty for Saturday’s race as a result of the first lap contact at the most recent IndyCar race in Toronto. IndyCar reserves the right to penalize grid positions for avoidable contact for the next race, with penalties of six positions on road and street courses and nine positions on ovals. Harvey will start 26th for Saturday’s race.
Rinus VeeKay qualified 15th and 14th for both races, which gives the Dutch racer a lot to do to try and replicate his fourth place finish in race one, especially with a new variable this year from Firestone.
“There’s a new tyre again this year,” VeeKay said. “There’s a lot of unknowns for everyone. I wasn’t really happy. I practiced yesterday, but we ended very strong. Like the ending was exactly what I needed. I feel pretty good there, so I think we’re looking good for the race, of course. You know, we could have put a better setup on for qualifying, but that’s not what we need.”
IndyCar operates the Saturday race as an impound race where drivers must race on Saturday with the car setup that they qualified with.
Felix Rosenqvist qualified 22nd and 16th for both races, but feels upbeat about his prospects for the race given how last year’s car worked.
“Last year we were stronger in the end of the stint than most, so that’s kind of always been our strength here to kind of give up something in qualifying and be a bit better in the race,” Rosenqvist said.
“So that’s kind of what I’m banking for at this point. You know I think if you’re quick, it doesn’t matter where you start, but yeah, it hasn’t been as smooth as other weekends and yeah, just haven’t really had the super feeling in the car, so you’ve just got to try to see what we can do in the race.”
Fellow Swede Marcus Ericsson echoed Rosenqvist’s sentiments, though he’s starting 10th in both races.
“Last year I was starting I think 12th and 15th and I was running in the top three in both of those races up to two stints,’ Ericsson said. “So I think [if] you have a good race car, you’re gonna be able to move forward quite quickly because of the way this race plays out with tire wear and, and all that.
“So not too worried, it’s more in the start, obviously you’re starting up front, this is a bit of a smoother start of the race. You’re less prone to get into incidents and then stuff like that. Maybe too early to know.”
Scott Dixon qualified fourth for Saturday’s race and ninth for Sunday’s race. He’s the only driver in the field that has contested every race at Iowa Speedway but has yet to win.
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