Team Penske-Chevrolet’s McLaughlin was on an out-lap and let Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing-Honda, who was on a hot lap, pass him exiting Turn 9 and into Turn 10. However, the Swede clearly didn’t believe the St. Petersburg winner had moved aside soon enough, and so ensured he got in the way of McLaughlin’s next lap.
Ericsson said: “I was on a hot lap and he was on a prep lap and he backed me up into Turn 9. I had to abort that lap and try to start a new one and then he tried to overtake me into T11...
“I don't like that, sorry. He'd already impeded my lap and then he tried to get me back!”
The Huksi Chocolate Chip Ganassi car will start eighth, ironically just ahead of McLaughlin who was deeply unimpressed with his rival.
“Just a cluster out there with the traffic,” said the series sophomore, who matched the pace of teammates Josef Newgarden and Will Power whenever he had a clear run in practice. “Our car was awesome.
“I dunno what Marcus was doing, he was coming like he was on a fast lap and then he just stops and that clustered the whole thing up and then everyone behind us… We're trying to find gaps out there, but if you think a guy's on a fast lap, you make a gap for him, and then he stops right next to you and won't let you back through.
"We've got a fast car and there's no reason we can't come through in the race. See what we've got, but I just feel bad for the guys because we had a really solid car to go for where [polesitter Colton] Herta is and challenge the Andretti guys.
“I'll be bombing for sure, just having a crack at it. As Danny Ric [Daniel Ricciardo] says, just lick the stamp and send it."
Teammate Will Power was similarly gutted by missing out on reaching the Firestone Fast Six but one-ten-thousandth of a second, after his best lap was ruined.
"Pato [O’Ward] stopped in the hairpin,” said the two-time Long Beach winner. “I don't know who was backing up but it kinda sucks when they do it in the hairpin because it ruins the money lap I've just done and then the next one because you're on the guy's gearbox. By the third lap you're tires are kinda gone.
“It's good when they do it in the back straight because you can abort your lap and set up the next one, but at the hairpin it ruins your lap and your next one.
"It's been frustrating with traffic this weekend, everyone just backs up so much.”
Power will roll off seventh, alongside Ericsson and just ahead of McLaughlin.
