MONTEREY, Calif. — Two-time IndyCar champion Álex Palou continued his mastery of Laguna Seca Raceway by profitable the pole Saturday in a qualifying session dominated by Honda drivers.

It was the second pole of the season for the Chip Ganassi Racing driver who has completed on the rostrum in all three of his earlier begins on the everlasting street course right here. He received the race within the 2022 season finale in what many consider was a catalyst in his resolution to not go away Ganassi to affix Arrow McLaren Racing.

“It was actually tight all of qualifying. I’m actually blissful, the automobile was on rails,” Palou stated. “I believe all the time beginning up entrance is the perfect spot. Hopefully we are able to have a clear begin, clear first couple of laps and hopefully there’s not lots of cautions that may screw our technique.”

Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti World certified second in his greatest qualifying effort of the season. 5 of the highest six drivers in qualifying have been powered by Honda.

Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing certified third and was adopted by Colton Herta of Andretti.

Alexander Rossi of Arrow McLaren was the best qualifying Chevrolet driver in fifth. Christian Lundgaard of Rahal Letterman Lanigan rounded out the highest six in one other Honda.

IndyCar factors chief Will Energy, who holds the collection file with 70 high beginning spots, didn’t advance out of first qualifying group. Energy earned his first win in over two years when he received two weeks in the past at Highway America in Wisconsin.

“I in all probability waited within the pit too lengthy,” he stated of his qualifying technique. “You’ll be able to’t screw round. Had the tempo, simply did not put it collectively.”

It was a pattern for Crew Penske, which had received two of the previous three IndyCar races, as Scott McLaughlin was the one driver to advance into the second qualifying spherical. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden was additionally eradicated within the first spherical.

“I believe it is simply me in the present day, I believe our automobile was actually good. I used to be simply actually struggling to place it collectively,” Newgarden stated. “Our automobile was actually good. I do not assume that is the problem.”

McLaughlin was then eradicated within the second spherical — that means a Crew Penske driver didn’t advance to the Quick Six pole shootout.

“I had somewhat slide by one of many corners and while you lose that momentum going up the hill, it actually hurts you,” McLaughlin stated. “You simply cannot make a mistake.”

David Malukas, in his season debut, superior out of the primary qualifying group with new staff Meyer Shank Racing. Malukas was purported to drive for Arrow McLaren this season however broke his wrist a month earlier than the season opener, and when he missed 4 races it triggered a clause in his McLaren contract that allowed the staff to fireplace him.

He was employed to switch Tom Blomqvist, who seems headed again to full-time sports activities automobile racing after crashing on the opening lap of the Indianapolis 500 in a failed change to IndyCar. Malukas stated he felt complete reduction simply to be again within the automobile and to start out twelfth on Sunday.

“So many alternative query marks going into it,” Malukas stated. “Simply bought somewhat bit fatigued being out of the automobile so lengthy.”

Nolan Siegel, the 19-year-old surprisingly employed earlier this week by Arrow McLaren, additionally didn’t advance out of the primary qualifying group in his debut together with his new staff. Siegel, who was a part of the profitable LMP2 class on the 24 Hours of Le Mans final week, is the youngest driver on the IndyCar grid. Siegel is within the automobile Malukas had been employed to drive earlier than his damage.

“We’re thrown into a very troublesome state of affairs right here, we have had little or no time to arrange,” Siegel stated. “I did not know I used to be driving right here till a couple of days in the past, so it is robust. None of us know one another. We’re getting higher each session. We’re attending to know one another higher; I am attending to know the automobile higher. It is simply lots of new issues and it is robust. IndyCar is tremendous aggressive.”