The session started off with nine drivers trying to clean and lay down rubber on the second (and third) grooves around the 1.25-mile World Wide Technology Raceway. Alexander Rossi (Andretti Autosport-Honda), Felix Rosenqvist (Arrow McLaren SP-Chevrolet), Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing-Honda), Takuma Sato (Dale Coyne Racing w/RWR-Honda), Conor Daly (Ed Carpenter Racing-Chevrolet), Callum Ilott (Juncos-Hollinger Racing-Chevrolet), Simon Pagenaud (Meyer Shank Racing-Honda), Jack Harvey (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing-Honda) and Will Power (Team Penske-Chevrolet). Power reported to NBC Sports that the session was worthwhile, although there is the caveat that rain is forecast for tomorrow afternoon, before the race.
Rahal hit the top just as rookie teammate Christian Lundgaard brushed the wall with the edge of his floor. Rahal’s 177.728mph effort came on his 68th of 74 laps in the #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing-Honda clocking 193mph into Turn 1 and 196mph into Turn 3.
Dixon, who will start the race from sixth tomorrow, was second fastest ahead of the top rookie, David Malukas of Dale Coyne Racing with HMD-Honda.
Romain Grosjean who has to take a nine-place grid drop for an unapproved engine change, was a highly encouraging fourth fastest, ahead of title contenders Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson, who ensured three Ganassi cars in the top six in this session and in qualifying. Their teammate Jimmie Johnson has had more of a struggle this weekend than was expected considering how well he raced at the other ovals, Texas, Indy and Iowa. He will start 21st, and this evening in practice he brought out the session’s only yellow flag when he spun at the entrance to pitlane.
Takuma Sato backed up Malukas’ performance to show that, yet again, Dale Coyne Racing has a strong oval setup, while Rossi, Josef Newgarden and Devlin DeFrancesco completed the top 10.
Pato O’Ward turned the most laps at 99, while Arrow McLaren SP-Chevrolet teammate Felix Rosenqvist turned the fewest, after his car was struck with a “technical issue”. It’s a difficult weekend for the Swedish ace, as he will start from the back of the 26-car field after spinning in qualifying.
The 260-lap Bommarito Auto Group 500 will begin at 5.30pm local (Central) time on Saturday, weather allowing.
|
P |
Name |
FTime |
Diff |
FL |
Laps |
FSpeed |
Engine |
Team |
|
1 |
Graham Rahal |
25.3196 |
25.3196 |
68 |
74 |
177.728 |
Honda |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
|
2 |
Scott Dixon |
25.3580 |
0.0384 |
54 |
76 |
177.459 |
Honda |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
|
3 |
David Malukas |
25.4634 |
0.1438 |
41 |
76 |
176.724 |
Honda |
Dale Coyne Racing with HMD |
|
4 |
Romain Grosjean |
25.4891 |
0.1695 |
42 |
78 |
176.546 |
Honda |
Andretti Autosport |
|
5 |
Alex Palou |
25.5080 |
0.1884 |
28 |
70 |
176.415 |
Honda |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
|
6 |
Marcus Ericsson |
25.5245 |
0.2049 |
49 |
92 |
176.301 |
Honda |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
|
7 |
Takuma Sato |
25.5299 |
0.2103 |
56 |
84 |
176.264 |
Honda |
Dale Coyne Racing w/RWR |
|
8 |
Alexander Rossi |
25.5516 |
0.2320 |
58 |
61 |
176.114 |
Honda |
Andretti Autosport |
|
9 |
Josef Newgarden |
25.6188 |
0.2992 |
28 |
70 |
175.652 |
Chevy |
Team Penske |
|
10 |
Devlin DeFrancesco |
25.6540 |
0.3344 |
60 |
83 |
175.411 |
Honda |
Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport |
|
11 |
Colton Herta |
25.6671 |
0.3475 |
52 |
79 |
175.322 |
Honda |
Andretti Autosport w/Curb-Agajanian |
|
12 |
Pato O'Ward |
25.6946 |
0.3750 |
62 |
99 |
175.134 |
Chevy |
Arrow McLaren SP |
|
13 |
Callum Ilott |
25.7006 |
0.3810 |
55 |
67 |
175.093 |
Chevy |
Juncos Hollinger Racing |
|
14 |
Helio Castroneves |
25.7048 |
0.3852 |
32 |
61 |
175.065 |
Honda |
Meyer Shank Racing |
|
15 |
Dalton Kellett |
25.7060 |
0.3864 |
58 |
64 |
175.056 |
Chevy |
AJ Foyt Enterprises |
|
16 |
Scott McLaughlin |
25.7090 |
0.3894 |
38 |
78 |
175.036 |
Chevy |
Team Penske |
|
17 |
Will Power |
25.7578 |
0.4382 |
68 |
72 |
174.704 |
Chevy |
Team Penske |
|
18 |
Jack Harvey |
25.7785 |
0.4589 |
51 |
91 |
174.564 |
Honda |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
|
19 |
Simon Pagenaud |
25.8357 |
0.5161 |
37 |
63 |
174.178 |
Honda |
Meyer Shank Racing |
|
20 |
Christian Lundgaard |
25.8403 |
0.5207 |
65 |
92 |
174.147 |
Honda |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
|
21 |
Conor Daly |
25.8770 |
0.5574 |
12 |
64 |
173.900 |
Chevy |
Ed Carpenter Racing |
|
22 |
Jimmie Johnson |
25.9538 |
0.6342 |
51 |
79 |
173.385 |
Honda |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
|
23 |
Kyle Kirkwood |
25.9608 |
0.6412 |
50 |
63 |
173.338 |
Chevy |
AJ Foyt Enterprises |
|
24 |
Felix Rosenqvist |
26.0079 |
0.6883 |
40 |
47 |
173.024 |
Chevy |
Arrow McLaren SP |
|
25 |
Rinus VeeKay |
26.0957 |
0.7761 |
47 |
61 |
172.442 |
Chevy |
Ed Carpenter Racing |
|
26 |
Ed Carpenter |
26.3823 |
1.0627 |
38 |
74 |
170.569 |
Chevy |
Ed Carpenter Racing |
