Herta Tops Practice Ahead of Qualifying at Portland
Colton Herta of Andretti Global recorded the fastest lap in the second practice session for the BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland, clocking in at 58.4238 seconds aboard the No. 26 Honda. The session took place in favorable conditions, with ambient temperatures approaching 70°F, setting the stage for competitive qualifying.
Championship leader Alex Palou followed closely, securing second with a time of 58.4531 seconds in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. He was joined in the top six by teammates Scott Dixon (58.5023s) and defending champion Will Power (58.5376s), along with rising talent Devlin DeFrancesco (58.5441s) and Rinus VeeKay (58.5770s). Notably, the entire field was separated by less than one second, a rarity since the 2019 Portland event.
Pato O’Ward from Arrow McLaren, the only driver with a chance to surpass Palou in the standings, finished 11th after testing a different rear damper package. Reigning polesitter Santino Ferrucci struggled in 24th position, while Josef Newgarden’s session was plagued by an engine issue, forcing him to return to the team transporter for an unapproved engine change, resulting in a six-position grid penalty for the race.
Qualifying is set for 2:35 PM ET.
Practice Top Times
- Colton Herta (Andretti Global) – 58.4238s
- Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing) – 58.4531s
- Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing) – 58.5023s
- Will Power (Team Penske) – 58.5376s
- Devlin DeFrancesco (Andretti Global) – 58.5441s
- Rinus VeeKay (Ed Carpenter Racing) – 58.5770s
Key Takeaways
- Herta demonstrates strong pace ahead of qualifying.
- Palou maintains his championship lead with a competitive showing.
- Newgarden faces significant challenges with a grid penalty.
The field prepares for what promises to be an intensely competitive race weekend.
