The 2025 IndyCar season may already belong to Alex Palou, but qualifying for the finale delivered plenty of intrigue and a new name on pole.
Early Runners Set the Pace
All 27 drivers headed out for their final qualifying runs of the year on the oval with its unique character, running in reverse championship order. Jacob Abel, after a bruising rookie campaign, was the first to set a benchmark at 195.779 mph. Devlin DeFrancesco followed, fighting a wiggle high on the banking to record 198.595 mph.
Sting Ray Robb then briefly claimed the top spot with 199.036 mph, remarkably without hybrid assistance. Robert Shwartzman soon raised the bar to 199.546 mph before Callum Ilott broke into new territory with the first 200 mph run of the day.
Breaking the 200 mph Barrier
Ilott’s 200.822 mph effort came despite a nervous correction mid-lap. Then Nolan Siegel’s commitment pushed the bar higher at 201.375 mph. Marcus Ericsson and Conor Daly couldn’t match that pace, Daly in particular frustrated after his 198.187 mph run, radioing, “It’s horrific, what happened?”
Kyffin Simpson and Rahal both found themselves in the midfield, but Josef Newgarden stole the spotlight with a full-attack 201.390 mph to grab provisional pole, even though something sounded off with his car.
Midfield Shake-Up
Santino Ferrucci’s unconventional warm-up line delivered 200.437 mph, while Alexander Rossi edged into the top ten. Dale Coyne Racing’s misery continued with Rinus VeeKay’s 197.346 mph, leaving both cars at the bottom.
Christian Rasmussen landed behind Ferrucci on 200.007 mph, carrying a grid penalty into the race. But it was David Malukas who lit up the timing screens – 201.922 mph – nearly touching 202 mph. “That was just an incredible car set-up… damn, that was beautiful,” he said afterwards.
Scott McLaughlin (201.035 mph) slotted into the mix, while Colton Herta struggled with corner speed to post 200.287 mph. Felix Rosenqvist (200.696 mph) and Will Power (200.640 mph) both produced brave laps. Power brushing close to the wall in Turn 3. Kyle Kirkwood fought the wheel to record 200.884 mph, while Christian Lundgaard impressed with 201.713 mph for second at that stage. Scott Dixon then went P3 with 201.437 mph despite a heavy lift on lap two.
O’Ward Takes Control
With only two drivers left, the tension peaked. Pato O’Ward unleashed a sensational run, averaging 202.621 mph, the fastest of the day. His full commitment denied Malukas a dream pole.
“The car was great. The aim tomorrow is simple: win from pole for the first time,” O’Ward said.
Finally, Alex Palou, the already-crowned champion, rolled out under a sudden cloud cover. His 201.603 mph was enough for P4, a fitting conclusion to a season that has been his from the start.
The Top 10 (before penalties)
1. Pato O’Ward – 202.621mph
2. David Malukas – 201.922mph
3. Christian Lundgaard – 201.713mph
4. Alex Palou – 201.603mph
5. Scott Dixon – 201.437mph
6. Josef Newgarden – 201.390mph
7. Nolan Siegel – 201.375mph
8. Scott McLaughlin – 201.035mph
9. Callum Ilott – 200.822mph
10. Kyffin Simpson – 200.703mph
O’Ward may have stolen the headlines with his stunning pole, but with 27 cars primed for the finale, tomorrow’s race promises a spectacular send-off to the season.