IndyCar Milwaukee: McLaughlin, Newgarden sweep poles for doubleheader

The format for the double-headers saw each driver receive two single-car laps, with the first setting their position for the opening race on Saturday night and the second determining their spot for Sunday’s event. The qualification order went in reverse of entrant points.

Scott McLaughlin claimed pole for Saturday night’s opening race of the doubleheader weekend in IndyCar’s first return to The Milwaukee Mile since 2015, while Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden snatched the top starting spot for Sunday’s second act. 

Newgarden was the first among the two to go out among his teammates and originally set the mark for both races after nailed a first lap of 161.640 mph and a second at 160.983 mph on the historic 1-mile oval. He remained there until McLaughlin’s No. 3 Chevrolet surged to a quicker 162.341 mph on lap 1, but fell off on the second lap to 160.912 mph to barely miss a sweep. It is the fifth pole of the season for McLaughlin.

“It’s great,” McLaughlin said. “You know, the car has been great at every oval we’ve gone to this season. 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.”

Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske Chevrolet

Photo by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Images

For Newgarden, who will serve a nine-position starting grid penalty for Race 1 after an unapproved engine change on the weekend, the pole for Race 2 is his second on the year.

“We went aggressive,” said the two-time Indianapolis 500 champion. 

“We’ve been on the other end of this when we weren’t aggressive enough in qualifying and it really bit us, so probably overcooked it slightly there. But the car was still good. When you go back, you’re going to look at this and quarterback it from the couch after the fact, and I knew what we could do different. 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.”

Josef Newgarden, Team Penske Chevrolet

Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images

Meyer Shank Racing’s David Malukas qualified third for the first race, ahead of Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi and Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist. Will Power, the third member of the Team Penske trio who is currently second in the championship fight behind leader Alex Palou, ended up sixth. Palou was only able to push his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to 13th for the first race. 

Marcus Armstrong put the No. 11 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda third on the grid for Race 2, ahead of Power and Lundqvist. Palou managed to qualify 10th for the second race.