Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard Secure Front Row Lockout at Thermal: A Triumph for Arrow McLaren

Arrow McLaren made history by securing its first 1-2 start in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard kicked off the day strong during qualifying for The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix, with O’Ward taking pole position.

O’Ward clocked a remarkable time of 1 minute, 39.9567 seconds while driving the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. This is his sixth career pole and the first since July 2022. After starting the season with disappointment, qualifying 23rd in St. Petersburg, O’Ward’s performance was a turnaround. “I knew if we could get the car to my liking, I would get it done," he said. His team made crucial adjustments that boosted his confidence during qualifying.

Lundgaard followed closely, securing the second spot with a time of 1:40.1245 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. This marks his best start since May, when he qualified second at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He was also the fastest in the pre-qualifying practice that day.

Historically, Arrow McLaren’s previous best qualification was a 1-3 finish in Texas earlier this year. Now, the team’s front-row lockout showcases its improvement since returning to the series in 2020.

In the top standings, three-time series champion Alex Palou qualified third, driving the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda with a time of 1:40.3092. Palou had shown promise early on, with the fastest lap during the first qualifying segment. However, team officials advised him to save his tires for the race instead of pushing for a better position.

Colton Herta and Marcus Ericsson, both from Andretti Global, managed to secure the fourth and fifth positions, while Alexander Rossi rounded out the top six. Rossi’s performance marks a solid start with Ed Carpenter Racing, which he joined after last season.

An unexpected twist in this qualifying round was the struggle of Team Penske. For the first time in over three years, none of their drivers advanced beyond the first round, with Josef Newgarden qualifying 17th, followed by Will Power in 21st and Scott McLaughlin in 25th. This misstep echoes a similar instance in September 2021 at Portland International Raceway, indicating that even established teams can face tough days.

With the race set for later today, fans are buzzing with anticipation. O’Ward and Lundgaard’s performances reflect Arrow McLaren’s potential and the excitement building in the 2023 season.

For more in-depth INDYCAR analysis, you can check out this piece from Motorsport.com.

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