Power takes IndyCar pole record as his title rivals falter

Team Penske’s points leader Will Power took pole position for the IndyCar championship finale at Laguna Seca and became IndyCar’s all-time leading pole winner in the process usurping Mario Andretti’s long-held record.

Power extends his points lead to 21 with the point for pole position scored under the most intense pressure arguably of his long career, teeing up a perfect start to his attempt to win a second title.

Andretti waved at Power as he returned to the pits, having encouraged the driver to break his own record, and was hugged in the paddock by the legend of the championship, calling him an “icon”.

The greatest qualifiers of all time in #INDYCAR.@12WillPower: 68 poles@MarioAndretti: 67 pic.twitter.com/E37OQdwckz

— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) September 10, 2022

There was a boost for Power at the start of qualifying two title contenders were removed from Q1, the most dramatic being pole favourite Josef Newgarden who spun and got beached at the corkscrew with just over three minutes.

It was a crucial error for the driver with five wins but is 21 points behind Power in the points battle, and will start 25th.

Championship contender Josef Newgarden will start the #INDYCAR season finale in LAST. 😳

Here’s an on-board look at what happened in qualifying. pic.twitter.com/1dQlvQJwpu

— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) September 10, 2022

Scott Dixon – also 21 points behind Power – will start 13th after he claimed he was held up while trying to warm his tyres before the only flying lap on the softs because of the time taken to clear Newgarden’s car.

In the fight for the Fast Six, Power was the only title contender through, and he sat in the pits not running a banker lap, which seemed like a risky strategy and ramped up the pressure for his final run.

But he delivered around drivers on differing tyre strategies to deny Callum Ilott his first pole position.

Rookie Ilott drives for the only one-car team – Juncos Hollinger Racing – in the field, and in his first Fast Six appearance, he came up just 0.0193s shy of stealing pole in what has been an amazing journey to competitiveness for the team expanding to two cars next year, with Ilott laying the groundwork.

Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi and Romain Grosjean both topped the order in the Fast Six but start third and fourth.

Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward tried to run the hard tyre but that didn’t pay off as they ran fifth and sixth respectively. Palou is set to get a six-place penalty before the race, as Ganassi announced later on Saturday that he will need an unscheduled change of Honda engine.

Outside of the top six, David Malukas was bumped out by Ilott at the last minute, but has a big boost as the driver he trails by five points in the rookie standings – Christian Lundgaard – starts 16th after being bumped out early on.

Scott McLaughlin made a small error at Turn 4 dropping his left-side tyres off the track and that was enough to put the driver chasing the balance of his car all weekend in eighth, but still the second-highest title contender.

A pair of Swedes rounded out the top 10 with Felix Rosenqvist heading the last title contender for us to mention, Marcus Ericsson.

Ericsson tried to do an early push lap in the Fast 12 but encountered traffic and spun, so he’ll start in 10th three spots ahead of his team-mate Dixon.

Simon Pagenaud and Helio Castroneves of Meyer Shank Racing rounded out the Fast 12.

Qualifying Results