Nashville Speedway Practice Report
Pato O’Ward Leads Nashville Weekend’s Opening Practice
Pato O’Ward set the pace for the Nashville Speedway weekend, clocking a blistering lap at 202.357 mph in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevy. This performance positioned him ahead of the competition, with no other driver breaching the 202 mph barrier.
“It feels good,” O’Ward stated, expressing confidence heading into qualifying. “I’m thinking we’re in good shape.”
Following O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global Honda finished second with a lap at 201.667 mph, demonstrating a strong performance after his pole position in the previous year’s event. Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard rounded out the top three with a lap of 201.645 mph in the No. 7 Chevy.
The top six were completed by:
- Colton Herta (Andretti Honda), 201.623 mph
- Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing Honda), 201.619 mph
- David Malukas (AJ Foyt Racing Chevy), 201.585 mph
The 60-minute session remained uneventful for the first 40 minutes. However, a minor incident involving Devlin DeFrancesco led to his No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda requiring repairs after he made light contact with the wall. Another caution was triggered with 11 minutes to go when Alex Palou spun exiting pit lane, ultimately finishing 16th with a speed of 200.497 mph.
Notable Points:
- Team Penske cars are carrying tribute stickers in memory of Karl Kainhofer, the team’s first employee, who passed away last weekend.
- Barry Wanser, team manager for Championship-winning No. 10 Ganassi Honda, marked the anniversary of his successful cancer surgery with continued positive health updates.
- Unique team branding is featured this weekend, with Meyer Shank Racing’s No. 60 Honda promoting Metallica and Juncos Holling Racing’s No. 76 Honda showcasing All American Rejects, matching the event’s musical backdrop.
As the weekend progresses, teams will look to build on these results in upcoming qualifying and race events.
