Scott McLaughlin beat teammate Josef Newgarden in qualifying at World Wide Technology Raceway, but the pole-sitter will be starting 10th because of an engine grid penalty.
Newgarden, who is trying to become the first in IndyCar history to sweep multiple oval races in a single season, will start first despite McLaughlin’s first career oval pole position. It’s the fifth time McLaughlin has qualified first in IndyCar and his second pole this season.
“I’m so competitive, man, we all are,” McLaughlin told NBC Sports’ Dillon Welch. “We just want to beat our teammates all the time. I’m pumped. First oval pole. We’ve got an engine spot penalty, but we’re going to come through and have a lot of fun doing it.
QUALIFYING RESULTS: Click here for speeds
STARTING LINEUP: How they will line up at WWTR
“We’ll be OK (with) great strategy. Really excited to come through (the field). Going to be a lot of exciting passes, and I’m going to have to nail the start, put it on the cush and have some fun.”
McLaughlin will be one of six drivers starting nine spots lower because of a fifth engine change this season. Championship points leader Alex Palou qualified fifth but also will be serving the penalty along with Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Scott Dixon (qualified seventh) and Takuma Sato (eighth).
REPOST to congratulate @smclaughlin93 for winning the pole!
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) August 27, 2023
He'll start 10th after a grid penalty, but it's clear he's got speed. pic.twitter.com/Rfalp70tTe
Newgarden will be on the front row with Colton Herta and ahead of Arrow McLaren teammates Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist in the second row.
After victories at Texas, Indianapolis and Iowa (twice), Newgarden will try to remain unbeaten in five oval races this season. He also is trying to win his sixth consecutive races, a streak that began a year ago when he outdueled McLaughlin at World Wide Technology Raceway.
“Scott just did a better job,” Newgarden told Welch. “I had a phenomenal car. Team did a great job. This car was right where it needed to be. It’s obviously a great starting position. We’d like to control the race from there. But just being able to react to anything unforeseen is really important on a day like today.”
The race will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
AFTER GRID PENALTIES, here’s the IndyCar starting lineup for Sunday’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway, a 1.25-mile oval (car number in parentheses, driver, engine, time and speed):
ROW 1
1. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 182.390
2. (26) Colton Herta, Honda, 181.946
ROW 2
3. (5) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 181.722
4. (6) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 181.557
ROW 3
5. (28) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 181.424
6. (18) David Malukas, Honda, 181.091
ROW 4
7. (7) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, 180.975
8. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 180.946
ROW 5
9. (77) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 180.208
10. (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 182.951
ROW 6
11. (30) Conor Daly, Honda, 179.928
12. (60) Linus Lundqvist, Honda, 179.802
ROW 7
13. (06) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 179.507
14. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, 181.599
ROW 8
15. (8) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 178.901
16. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 181.442
ROW 9
17. (11) Takuma Sato, Honda, 181.427
18. (29) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 178.861
ROW 10
19. (45) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 178.834
20. (21) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 178.385
ROW 11
21. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 178.360
22. (27) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, 180.592
ROW 12
23. (20) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Chevrolet, 178.141
24. (51) Sting Ray Robb, Honda, 177.792
ROW 13
25. (55) Benjamin Pedersen, Chevrolet, 176.745
26. (14) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 176.519
ROW 14
27. (33) Ed Carpenter, Chevrolet, 174.473
28. (78) Agustin Canapino, Chevrolet, 178.490