So much for the Indy hangover.
Two-time and reigning Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Josef Newgarden led the warmup for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear on Sunday morning. Two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Newgarden, who qualified third, turned a top lap of 1 minute, 2.0463 seconds in the No. 2 Hitachi Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet.
NTT P1 Award winner Colton Herta was right behind Newgarden with his best lap of 1:02.0647 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda fielded by Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian. Pato O’Ward rebounded from a disappointing starting spot of 12th to end up third in the 30-minute warmup at 1:02.1307.
Scott McLaughlin, who qualified fourth, ended up in that same spot at 1:02.5050 in the No. 3 Gallagher Team Penske Chevrolet on the nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary street circuit in downtown Detroit. Pietro Fittipaldi, who qualified 16th, made a big jump to fifth at 1:02.5412 in the No. 30 5-hour ENERGY Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Live coverage of the 100-lap race starts at noon ET Sunday on the USA Network, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
This could be the culmination of a big weekend for Newgarden, who will try to become the first driver since Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000 to win the Indianapolis 500 and the event that follows on the schedule in the same season. His contract renewal with Team Penske was announced Saturday, as was an extension of the partnership between Team Penske and Hitachi Astemo, one of the primary sponsors of Newgarden’s car.
INDYCAR Communications
