IndyCar champ Alex Palou begins from pole at Milwaukee Mile

If you happen to thought Alex Palou clinching the NTT IndyCar Sequence title in Portland meant he’d take it simple for the ultimate two oval races, assume once more.

With the championship in hand, Palou laid down a two-lap common of 162.971 mph in 44.8422s to clinch the pole for Sunday’s Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250. It’s the Spaniard’s sixth pole of his dominant 2025 marketing campaign, positioning himself to chase a ninth victory on the 12 months.

David Malukas and Kyffin Simpson (rear)

Photograph by: Penske Leisure: Joe Skibinski

Born an hour south in Chicago, David Malukas spent the majority of the session’s second half atop the charts.

However his hopes for a maiden pole on the Milwaukee Mile have been scuppered by Palou’s last-second heroics. Malukas accomplished his two laps in 45.04s at 162.256 mph.

Pato O’Ward (162.078) was the one different driver with a median pace above 162 mph, in third. Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon wrapped up the top-five, with Will Energy, Kyle Kirkwood, Josef Newgarden, Conor Daly and Christian Rasmussen finishing the highest 10.

Dixon is one among three drivers present process a nine-place grid penalty for unapproved engine modifications past the 4 allowed in a season, together with Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyffin Simpson and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Louis Foster. The setback promotes eleventh place qualifier Graham Rahal into the ultimate prime 10 beginning spot.

Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren

Photograph by: Penske Leisure: Chris Owens

With IndyCar at an oval and no doubleheader race scheduled, the sector was set by a two-lap common pace. Palou had the 2 quickest laps of all opponents, leaving little doubt of the quickest automobile within the area.

The opening half of the session proceeded with out subject, however issues briefly went haywire early within the second half.

Colton Herta took to the monitor shortly after Malukas’ pole run, however misplaced management of his automobile in flip 2 and went for a comfortable spin at nook exit. The Californian was capable of hold the automobile off the wall, however ruined his qualifying effort and can roll off twenty sixth.

“That’s irritating,” Herta stated whereas watching a replay. “Seems to be like we have been simply too unfastened proper from the start, and as quickly as we touched that decrease pavement, the decrease patch, it simply form of goes (round).

“It’s that patch, which my teammate Marcus (Ericsson) was ready to make use of,” he added.” I believe he had a greater line than me in apply, so I went to his line there for qualifying. … Sadly, the automobile simply didn’t like that patch.”

The session resumed minutes later. However after a trouble-free run for Meyer Shank Racing’s Marcus Ericsson, teammate Felix Rosenqvist misplaced the rear finish of his No. 60 Honda and backed into the flip 4 wall.

With qualifying full, the IndyCar area will return to the Milwaukee Mile for low-line and last apply at 4:30 p.m. ET. Protection might be offered by FS2. Sunday’s race will go dwell at 2:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

Images from Milwaukee – Apply & Qualifying

Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing