DETROIT — Alex Palou scored his second-straight NTT IndyCar Series pole as the Chip Ganassi Racing driver was the fastest on the streets of the Motor City.
Palou won the pole in Saturday’s Fast Six for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix with a fast lap of 1:01.8592 around the nine-turn, 1.645-mile street course in the No. 10 Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin tried to knock the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series champion off the No. 1 position but fell just short at 1:02.1592 in the No. 3 Chevrolet.
It was Palou’s third career NTT IndyCar Series pole.
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“We started on used Greens that we used in the Fast 12 and I was concerned if we were going to get two laps or not,” Palou said. “It feels good. We have had great cars since the beginning, and it was about maximizing. They did a great strategy on tires and everything.
“We have to finish it tomorrow. Man, it’s a crazy track. I think it’s too tight and too short for Indy cars, but we’ll make it happen.”
Roman Grosjean Andretti Autosport was third in the No. 28 DHL Honda at 1:02.2996 followed by Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon’s No. 9 Honda at 1:02.4272.
Last week’s Indianapolis 500 winner, Josef Newgarden, was fifth in the No. 2 Chevrolet at 1:02.5223 with last year’s Indy 500 winner, Marcus Ericsson, rounded out the Fast Six at 1:02.6184 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda.
“I really wanted that pole, especially for ‘the Captain’ (Roger Penske) at Detroit,” McLaughlin said.
Dixon expects the “unexpected” in Sunday’s race that begins at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time and can be seen on NBC.
“It’s going to be a lot like Nashville,” Dixon said. “It could be last man standing.”
Earlier, Marcus Armstrong was the fastest in Group 1/Segment 1 at 1:01.8558 in a Honda followed by Grosjean at 1:02.1756 in a Honda and fellow Honda driver Palou at 1:02.2431. Chevy driver Power was fourth followed by Simon Pagenaud’s Honda at 1:02.3952. Felix Rosenqvist rounded out the top six at 1:02.5341 in a Chevrolet, knocking his Arrow McLaren teammate Alexander Rossi out of the final transfer position.
Rossi’s time was 1:02.5714.
“It’s disappointing to miss it by that much, on the last lap I brushed the wall in turn two,” Rossi said. “It’s disappointing. Didn’t get a read on anything in practice two. We should have transferred. We’ll have to take up for it tomorrow.
“It’s a joy to drive this track. Everyone has done a great driver.”
Other drivers missing the cut were Conor Daly, Devlin DeFrancesco, Benjamin Pedersen, David Malukas, Helio Castroneves, and Jack Harvey.
“Honestly, it’s the first time I did a clear lap,” Daly said. “Great step forward for the team. Hopefully, we can have a good race. If you are behind Alexander Rossi, you aren’t doing a terrible job.
“You are going so slow everywhere. Every corner is a first gear corner, except for turn one. It’s going to be hotter than a herd of turtles.”
In Group 2/Segment 2, Kyle Kirkwood’s Honda was the fastest at 1:01.5305, followed by McLaughlin’s Chevrolet at 1:01.7482, Pato O’Ward’s Chevrolet 1:02.0470, Dixon’s Honda at 1:02.0602, Ericsson’s Honda at 1:02.0754 and Newgarden’s Chevrolet at 1:02.1900.
The drivers who didn’t transfer were Rinus VeeKay, Callum Ilott, Christian Lundgaard, Augustin Canapino, Santino Ferrucci, Colton Herta, Sting Ray Robb, and Graham Rahal.
“I hit the same wall at the same point,” Lundgaard said. “This morning was unfortunate because I didn’t even know I hit it. All three cars are out, and we are pushing as hard as we can to extract a speed out of the car. I feel sorry for the whole crew for not being able to perform as we want to.
“We just don’t seem to have the pace on the Blacks. Clearly, we are lacking pace.”
In the second segment, leading contender for the pole Kyle Kirkwood smacked the wall in Turn 7, damaging his left front suspension and knocking him out the session.
“I’m disappointed, disappointed for the crew because that was a pole winning car,” Kirkwood said. “I barely touched the wall. The angle of the wall, I just clipped the point. If the wall was round, I wouldn’t have hit it.
“Unfortunate for the guys, but that was my mistake.
“It’s hard enough to get around this place, let alone race around it.”
Palou’s Honda was the fastest in session at 1:01.6390 followed by Grosjean’s Honda at 1:01.9018, Ericsson’s Honda at 1:01.9449, Newgarden’s Chevrolet at 1:01.9679, McLaughlin’s Chevrolet at 1:01.9794 and Dixon’s Honda at 1:02.0608.
The drivers that did not advance were Power, Pagenaud, Rosenqvist, O’Ward, Armstrong and Kirkwood.
“It was not the cleanest session from my part,” Armstrong said. “The last section was dicey.
“That one hurts because I feel like the boys did a really good job. Tomorrow’s going to be a good one. It’s a long, long race. There is a lot to play for.”
Power said he made a mistake by not realizing he had another lap.
“Seventh isn’t bad, it’s on the inside,” Power said. “Sometimes, it doesn’t matter where you qualify. You have to get everything you can get.
“This race could be another Nashville.”