By: Spencer Neff
July 1,2023
A switch to Andretti Autosport COO Rob Edwards as lead strategist has gotten off to a great start for Colton Herta. The driver of the No. 26 notched a best lap of 1m06.3096 (122.589 mph) in round 3 of qualifying to earnhis second consecutive pole and the 11th of his NTT INDYCAR SERIES career.
He will lead the field to the green during Sunday’s 80-lap Honda Indy 200 on the 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
This is his second pole at Mid-Ohio. His first was for the second race of the 2020 doubleheader, a race he went on to win.
Round 3-Fast 6
Joining Herta on the front row is Ohio native and 2015 race winner Graham Rahal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, making his first start from the front row since 2019 at Barber Motorsports Park.
Rounding out the first three rows would be Herta’s teammate Kyle Kirkwood, points leader Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, Rahal’s teammate Lundgaard and Palou’s teammate Scott Dixon.
Round 2-Fast 12
Herta (1mo5.8576-123.430 mph) led a Honda sweep of the top six positions in Round 2 of qualifying. Advancing to the run for the pole with him were Lundgaard, Rahal, Kirkwood, Dixon and Palou.
After leading Saturday morning’s practice, Team Penske’s Will Power was the fastest Chevrolet entry in the field. He starts alongside teammate and 2022 race winner Scott McLaughlin on Row 4, seventh and eighth. Marcus Ericsson, Felix Rosenqvist, Jack Harvey and Davis Malukas will start ninth through twelfth.
Round 1 Group 2
Kirkwood led the way among the 13 cars in Group 2 (1m05.724-123.681 mph), giving Honda a sweep of the Round 1 sessions.
He would be joined in Round 2 by Dixon, Herta, Lundgaard, Power and Rahal.
Missing out on advancing past Round 1 would be Romain Grosjean, Rinus VeeKay, Marcus Armstrong, Callum Ilott, Sting Ray Robb, Devlin DeFrancesco and Santino Ferrucci. They will start on the outside of Rows 7-13 for tomorrow.
Following his accident in this morning’s practice session, Simon Pagenaud was not cleared to driver ahead of this afternoon’s qualifying.
If Pagenaud is not cleared upon tomorrow morning’s re-evaluation, Conor Daly will fill in for Meyer Shank Racing’s No. 60. Regardless, the entry will start last on the grid after not making a qualifying attempt.
Round 1 Group 1
Ericsson (1m05.9252-123.303 mph) was fastest of the 13 drivers in Round 1. He advanced with teammate Palou, Rosenqvist, McLaughlin, Harvey and Malukas.
Just over four minutes, Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward spun in his Turn 3 prompting a red flag.
In accordance with Rule 8.3.6, he was penalized:
“If a Car causes a Red Condition in any segment, the Car’s best two (2) timed laps of the segment shall be disallowed, the Car may not continue in the segment, and the Car shall not advance to the next segment.”
Not advancing to the Fast 12 (Round 2) included Alexander Rossi, Josef Newgarden, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, Agustin Canapino, Benjamin Pedersen along with O’Ward. They will start on the inside of Rows 7-13 for tomorrow.
Up Next
Here is the race day schedule for this weekend at Mid-Ohio. Stay with IndyCar1909 for all the latest on the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.
At-track schedule (all times local):
Sunday, July 2
10:30-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, Peacock
11:35 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio command to start engines
11:40 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock
1:05 p.m. – Driver introductions
1:46 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2023 Accord Hybrid command to start engines
1:53 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2023 Accord Hybrid (80 laps/180.64 miles), USA Network (live)
Header Image By Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR
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