ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. – Defending Road America winner and defending NTT IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou was the fastest driver in Saturday evening’s final practice session for Sunday’s Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America.
Palou lapped the 4.014-mile road course in 1:46.2291 in the No. 10 American Legion Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Josef Newgarden, who will start on the outside of Row 1, was second at 1:46.5337 in the No. 2 Chevrolet for Team Penske. Simon Pagenaud’s No. 60 Honda was third at 1:46.5752, followed by rookie David Malukas’ 1:46.7581 in the No. 18 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing.
Felix Rosenqvist of Arrow McLaren SP was fifth at 1:47.0551 in the No. 7 Chevrolet.
Alexander Rossi, who won the pole earlier on Saturday, was seventh at 1:47.2270 in the No. 27 NAPA Auto Parts/AutoNation Honda, just behind Andretti Autosport teammate Roman Grosjean’s No. 28 Honda (1:47.0650).
The red flag stopped the session with seven minutes left when Tatiana Calderon stopped on course in Turn 5. She also received a five-minute penalty for causing a red flag. Three minutes earlier, Grosjean also had five minutes of practice time docked for failure to follow the direction of IndyCar Race Control when his car was taken through the wrong hole in the pit wall during qualifications.
The green flag waved with five minutes left in the session as teams focused in for final preparations before Sunday’s race.
Newgarden has a shot at $1 million in the PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge if he wins Sunday’s race. Newgarden has already won races on an oval (Texas) and street course (Long Beach). The first driver to win a race on all three collects $1 million that is split with $500,000 going to the charities, Wags and Walks and SeriousFun Children’s Network.
The remaining $500,000 goes to the team.
The NBC telecast is at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time with the race beginning at 12:55 p.m. ET.