DETROIT — Alessandro de Tullio didn’t think he extracted enough from his car during qualifying Saturday for the Detroit Grand Prix, but he still ended up in a familiar position – on pole.
Indy NXT by Firestone rookie de Tullio earned his fifth pole in seven races this season in the IndyCar development series, taking the top spot with his best lap of 1 minute, 5.3664 seconds in the No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing entry.
He turned the pole-winning lap while competing in the first group of the two-group session around the nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary street circuit.
“I think there was more than what I did,” de Tullio said. “I made a few mistakes on my lap. It was just getting better and better each lap. On the last lap, I didn’t really put it together. I’m surprised we’re P1, but still happy to be up there.
“Still pretty good. Just not completely satisfied with my job. I think there was more in it for me, from my side. The team did an amazing job to give me another really fast car.”
De Tullio will aim for his second victory, as he won from pole in late March in the second race of the doubleheader at Barber Motorsports Park.
Max Taylor rebounded from a hard crash in practice this morning to lead the second qualifying group, and he will start second Sunday after his best lap of 1:05.6050 in the No. 28 Susan G. Komen car of Andretti Global. Taylor led the pre-qualifying practice despite his incident.
Rookie Tymek Kucharczyk will start third after his top lap of 1:05.3713 in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports machine. Kucharczyk earned his first career victory earlier this month in the last event, the second race of the doubleheader on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
JM Correa joins Kucharczyk in the second row after qualifying fourth at 1:05.8840 in the No. 68 Cusick Morgan Motorsports entry.
Lochie Hughes, who led practice Friday, will start fifth after his qualifying run of 1:05.4102 in the No. 26 Andretti Global car. Salvador de Alba qualified sixth at 1:06.0553 in the No. 17 HMD Motorsports machine.
Rookie and series leader Nikita Johnson qualified 10th at 1:06.1661 in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR entry. Johnson has two victories, the only driver this series with multiple wins.
