Alex Palou captures second straight IndyCar pole
DETROIT (WISH) – Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou will lead the field to green for the second straight NTT IndyCar Series race.
Palou, who won the pole for the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500, will start first again in Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.
Palou’s fast lap during the Firestone Fast Six portion of Saturday qualifying was 01:01.8592 (95.734 mph).
“We started on used greens (Firestone alternate tires) that we used in the Fast 12, and it didn’t feel really good,” Palou said in a news release. “I was concerned if we were going to be able to make two laps or not, but super happy. My first pole on street course. We had a great car since the beginning.
“It’s going to be a tough day tomorrow, for sure. I got off (course) a lot in practice. We were wanting to see where the limit was. We found it. But man, it’s a crazy track.”
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin will start alongside Palou on the first row. McLaughlin turned a fast lap of 01:02.1592 (95.271 mph) during the Firestone Fast Six.
Romain Grosjean, Scott Dixon and 2023 Indy 500 champion Josef Newgarden will start third, fourth and fifth respectively.
Sunday’s race on the streets of Detroit will begin a little after 3 p.m. EDT.