INDIANAPOLIS — Team Penske has shed the dark cloud of adversity by sweeping the front row for the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since 1988.
Scott McLaughlin of Christchurch, New Zealand scored the fastest pole speed in Indianapolis 500 history with a four-lap average of 234.220 miles per hour in the No. 3 Pennzoil Chevrolet. This is the 40th Anniversary of Rick Mears 1984 Indy 500 win in the Pennzoil car for Penske Racing.
McLaughlin was the last driver to make a qualification attempt out of the six drivers that had advanced into the Fast Six from the Fast 12 an hour earlier.
At the time McLaughlin went on track, teammate Will Power was on the pole and was attempting to win the first Indy 500 pole of his career. Power’s four-lap average was 233.917 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet.
But after McLaughlin’s opening two laps, it was obvious that he had the Chevy power behind him to win the pole.
“I thought, “Holy cow, just don’t spray it,” McLaughlin said when the number popped up on his dash. “I just wanted to make sure I brought it home.
“Look, we work really hard to get a really good balance in the Fast 12, and I felt like my best run of the weekend was actually the Fast 12. I knew going last was going to be advantage, and we used it.
“To execute the way, we have as a team, that’s what’s really cool. You see the time, and then it’s all about just executing.
“After that your weight jacker and figuring out, okay, what was the car doing and what do you think the car is going to do the next lap. So, you are playing with bars and weight jacker and trying to hold on to it.
“Yeah, we all have been really working that this week and understanding it, and I was glad I was able to put it to the test when it mattered the most.”
Defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske round out the all-Penske front row with a four-lap average of 233.808 mph in the Shell Chevrolet.
“It was a great day for the team,” Newgarden said. “This is a huge result. We’ve been working for this for the last three, four years. We’ve certainly not had an easy time in qualifying and trying to regain the speed that we had lost probably since 2019.
“It’s just been a nonstop effort ever since that point. We hadn’t turned the page, and I think today is really the first time we’ve turned the page. We’ve got the speed back, and it’s a testament to the entire group.
“It takes a whole year to find this. You don’t find it in a week. You don’t find it in two weeks. You have to take the whole year to show up with this type of speed.
“Really proud of the team. I’m sure they’re over the moon and excited for the race weekend. It gives us a good shot at going for this race win together. We’re going to be able to work together hopefully and have a clean day.
“But yeah, really, really proud. The Shell car was fast, and we’re in position. Yeah, great day.”
Team owner Roger Penske, who also owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar, triumphantly walked into the victory celebration in front of the NTT Performance Pit at the Speedway.
“It was certainly a great day and a great performance by the team,” Penske told SPEED SPORT as he exited.
Penske had to feel some redemption and relief from the Indy 500 qualifications because he suspended Team Penske President Tim Cindric and Team Penske Managing Director, IndyCar, Ron Ruzewski, as well as engineers Luke Mason and Robbie Atkinson for their roles in the push-to-pass scandal at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
All four of the key management members are suspended for the Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and will return to action at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix in June.
McLaughlin’s pole is a record 19th Indy 500 Pole for Team Penske.
“I felt like I believe in my talent and believe in my team around me,” McLaughlin said. “I’m very lucky to be able to drive for the captain to give me these opportunities. A big part of me coming to IndyCar was to be a part of this race and to be part of the biggest race in the world.
“I’m glad I came to IndyCar. I’m loving every minute of it, and then to compete it with Team Penske and good cars each time has been a lot.
“It’s been a roller coaster, as everyone knows, my Indy 500 experience. Ultimately, there’s the only way to keep working and keep trying to get up the front, and bit by bit we’ll get there, and this is just the start.”
Beyond The Front Row
The second row includes Alexander Rossi of Arrow McLaren, with a four-lap average of 233.090 mph in the No. 7 Chevrolet. Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, was fifth with a four-lap run at 232.846 mph in the No. 17 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren/Hendrick Motorsports. Santino Ferrucci of A.J. Foyt Racing rounded out the all-Chevrolet Fast Six with a four-lap average of 232.692 mph.
Larson did a brief interview with a group of reporters and then left by helicopter to the Indianapolis Airport where he boarded a private jet to take him to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina for tonight’s NASCAR All-Star Race.
“Just happy,” Larson said. “It’s really cool. It’s gone much better than I ever could have anticipated or ever hoped. Just proud of everybody at Arrow McLaren. Proud of everybody at Hendrick Motorsports. Thankful for Rick Hendrick and Linda Hendrick for allowing me to do this. Yeah, it’s been a great week so far. So, we’ll look forward to now switching to race mode and see if I can learn there to get ready for the race.
“I’m happy to not have to run another qualifying run. I’ll be honest. It wasn’t that stressful, but then each time you go out it gets more stressful because you know they’re going to turn the bar up more. You know you’re trying to find that extra bit of speed. In my mind, who doesn’t have experience, you think it’s going to be harder to drive. So just the nerves going out each time is more and more every time. I’m glad we made it through it, I’m glad I don’t have to run another four laps in qualifying trim.
“It was really fun, and I was hoping to make Fast 12 yesterday. And then I thought we’d have a shot at Fast Six. Just proud of the team really. Obviously, I’ve got to hit my marks, but they did a really good job.
“Qualifying is a fun atmosphere. Everything about Indy is a great atmosphere. Now I’m ready to go drive a stock car. So, I’ll talk to you guys later.”
It’s the second-fastest field in Indianapolis 500 history. The 2023 field remains the fastest. Alex Palou’s record pole speed from last year was surpassed by McLaughlin on Sunday.
Row three includes Rinus VeeKay in the No. 21 Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing (232.610 mph average), Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren (232.584 mph) and Felix Rosenqvist, the highest-qualified Honda at 232.305 mph over four laps for Meyer-Shank Racing.
The remainder of the Fast 12 included Takuma Sato in the No. 75 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda at 232.171 mph, Kyle Kirkwood in the No. 27 Andretti Global Honda at 230.993 mph and Ryan Hunter-Reay in the No. 23 Chevrolet for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing at 230.567 mph.
Positions 13-30 were locked into the starting lineup in Saturday’s qualifications.
Last Chance Qualifiers
Four drivers had to participate in Last Chance Qualifying and the three drivers that made it included Katherine Legge in the No. 51 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing with RWR at 230.092 mph, 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson at 230.027 mph in the No. 28 Andretti Global Honda.
Graham Rahal was the last driver to make the starting lineup with a four-lap run at 229.974 mph. His spot was assured when rookie driver Nolan Siegel crashed the No. 18 Honda in turn one on his second qualification lap.
He was uninjured but is out of the 108th Indianapolis 500.
“This time around was a little calmer,” Rahal explained. “Probably just because I’ve been there before and done it. Similar sort of stuff. You know, you’re sitting there in the hour. You do your first draw, and you can’t run again the way the rules are written. You can’t pull out of your box, so you’re kind of at the mercy of everybody else.
“We knew Marcus Ericsson was going to have to run again clearly, and then we felt that he was going to have the speed for sure to get in. Barely bumped up. I think less than half one-tenth of a mile an hour. Then it was all on waiting it out with Nolan to see what happens.
“Unfortunately, he lost it. The first lap I had a 29.2. We felt fairly safe, but it’s never good to see anybody lose it like that. Nolan is a young kid. He has a bright future, as I said on TV, and I expect to see him back here and doing great things.
I’ve been there. Last year, it still stings. It’s not much better being 33rd. I can tell you that. At least we’re in the field, and we’re going to go racing.”
Siegel was near tears as he spoke of his crushing disappointment.
“Yeah, super disappointed, obviously,” the 19-year-old Siegel said. “I feel like today we did the best we could do. As a team we I think had the best car that we’ve had since we started this whole event. Those were the best four laps I think I’ve done. It felt pretty maximized, and ultimately it wasn’t fast.
“We took a swing at it to try and find a half mile an hour to get to where Graham was at, and we were already on the limit of the trim. So, I was going to go home because I went flat and did everything I could do. I wasn’t going to go home because I lifted, so here I am.
“I certainly appreciate everything that the team has done. We were in this together. They wanted it too. It’s not like I was the only one in this. They wanted it as well, and they worked really, really, really hard for a long time to make this happen,” Siegel continued.
“Big thank you to them. We were all in it together. They’re not thanking me for doing a good job. Everyone did a good job. I know that ultimately the result doesn’t reflect that, but they worked really hard, so super appreciative of the effort that they put in. You know, we were in it together for months. It’s like a family.”