MALUKAS CLAIMS POLE AT MILWAUKEE, PALOU TO START SECOND
Milwaukee, WI – David Malukas of Arrow McLaren will start on the pole for Sunday’s NTT INDYCAR Series race at the Milwaukee Mile after qualifying at 162.458 mph. Reigning series champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing qualified second with a speed of 162.298 mph.
Malukas’s performance impressed competitors, including Palou. “Out, I told the guys, ’He looked fast in practice one; he’s going to be the one to beat,'” Malukas said. “As soon as I saw that first lap, saw him come out of (Turn) 4, I was like, ‘All right, that one looked pretty good.’ We’re going to be starting on that front row here in Milwaukee. We can still do a lot from up there.”
The qualifying runs showcased differing strategies. Malukas warmed up at 159.264 mph,while Palou conserved tire wear with a warmup lap of 151.187 mph before his two-lap qualifying run. Both drivers are utilizing Firestone Firehawk tires.
Pato O’Ward qualified third at 162.078 mph in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Scott McLaughlin, the 2024 milwaukee race winner, will start fourth at 161.758 mph in the No. 3 sonsio Vehicle Protection Chevrolet fielded by Team Penske.
Six-time series champion Scott Dixon qualified fifth at 160.951 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing honda, but will start 14th due to a penalty. The penalty stems from an unscheduled engine change, exceeding the season’s allotted engine usage.
Will Power qualified sixth at 160.819 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Team Penske is seeking its first oval victory of the season after Power’s win at Portland on August 10th. josef Newgarden qualified eighth at 160.330 mph in the no. 2 Snap-on Team Penske Chevrolet.
Qualifying wasn’t without incident. Felix Rosenqvist spun in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/curb-Agajanian, making contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 4. Rosenqvist was uninjured, but the car sustained moderate rear-end damage. Shortly before, Colton Herta narrowly avoided the wall in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda,recovering from a slide through Turn 2 and a half-spin exiting the corner with remarkable car control.
The Milwaukee Mile, a one-mile oval, has a rich history in INDYCAR racing, hosting events since 1903. The track underwent significant renovations prior to the 2024 season, including a complete repaving, aiming to restore it as a premier oval track on the series schedule.
