Team Penske Dominates Milwaukee IndyCar Qualifying
Milwaukee, [Current Date] – In a thrilling display of pace, Team Penske drivers Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden secured a pole and second-place start respectively in the qualifying session for the upcoming IndyCar double-header weekend at the historic Milwaukee circuit.
The format saw each driver complete two single-car laps, with the first setting their position for the Saturday night opener and the second determining their spot for Sunday’s event. The qualification order was the reverse of the current championship standings.
Newgarden, the first Penske car to hit the track, initially set the benchmark with a blistering first lap of 161.640 mph and a follow-up of 160.983 mph. However, his teammate McLaughlin soon surged to the top with an impressive 162.341 mph on his opening lap, narrowly missing out on a double pole as his second run dipped to 160.912 mph.
“The car has been great at every oval we’ve gone to this season,” said the New Zealander McLaughlin. “To pick up another pole here is fantastic. I shipped it pretty hard into (Turns) 3 and 4 on the second lap – we might’ve been able to double it up.”
Newgarden, the two-time Indianapolis 500 champion, will start from pole position for Sunday’s race after receiving a nine-position starting grid penalty for an unapproved engine change ahead of the weekend.
“We went aggressive,” said Newgarden. “When you go back, you’re going to look at this and quarterback it from the couch and I knew what we could do differently. But this is a great run for the team to lock out the front row; both days are going to be really good for us.”
Meyer Shank Racing’s David Malukas qualified third for the Saturday race, ahead of Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi and Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist, all of whom will move up a spot due to Newgarden’s penalty.
In the Sunday qualifying, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Armstrong secured the third spot on the grid, with Power and Lundqvist following closely behind. Championship leader Alex Palou managed to qualify 10th for the second race.
With the Penske duo’s dominant performance, the stage is set for an exciting IndyCar double-header weekend at the historic Milwaukee circuit. Fans and enthusiasts can look forward to intensified battles on the track as the teams and drivers vie for valuable championship points.
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