Honda Indy 200 Qualifying: Palou Clinches Pole Position
Lexington, Ohio – Under sweltering conditions, Alex Palou secured his third pole position of the season for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, clocking a blistering lap of 1m05.021s in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
The reigning champion expanded his lead in the championship standings to 94 points over Kyle Kirkwood, who starts alongside him on the front row in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevy with a time of 1m05.212s. Rounding out the front row is Palou’s teammate Kyffin Simpson, achieving a career-best third with a lap of 1m05.755s.
Christian Lundgaard and Nolan Siegel placed fourth and fifth, respectively, with times of 1m05.573s and 1m06.122s. Colton Herta completed the second row in sixth, registering a 1m06.240s.
“We’ve struggled in qualifying in the past, but this year has been phenomenal. The speed we have is amazing,” Palou commented, expressing confidence heading into race day.
Notable surprises included Pato O’Ward from Arrow McLaren, who will start 15th. Lundgaard explained a strategic shift this weekend, noting that they opted to prioritize outright speed rather than a conservative approach. "That No. 10 car just seems to be too strong,” he remarked.
Team Penske’s performance continued to falter, with Josef Newgarden leading the team in 18th, followed by Scott McLaughlin and Will Power in 21st and 22nd, respectively. Will Buxton commented on the team’s struggles, labeling it a “horror show.”
Qualifying comprised two knockout sessions. In the first segment, Devlin DeFrancesco set an early benchmark before Simpson topped the timesheet at 1m05.718s. The top six drivers moving forward included Lundgaard, Marcus Ericsson, Herta, Siegel, Rasmussen, and Simpson.
In the second half, a tightly contested session saw Palou outpace Kirkwood, ultimately earning his place in the Fast Six. The final qualifiers consisted of Palou, Lundgaard, Foster, Herta, Siegel, and Simpson.
Qualifying Results for the Honda Indy 200:
- Alex Palou (CGR) – 1m05.021s
- Christian Lundgaard (McLaren) – 1m05.212s
- Kyffin Simpson (CGR) – 1m05.755s
- Nolan Siegel (McLaren) – 1m05.573s
- Colton Herta (Andretti) – 1m06.122s
- Louis Foster (RLL) – 1m06.240s
Conclusion
As the series heads into race day, Palou’s performance positions him as a strong contender to extend his championship lead further, while Team Penske’s challenges loom large. Further developments are anticipated in what promises to be an exciting race at Mid-Ohio.
