By: Spencer Neff
September 2, 2023
Final Practice Results Combined Practice Results
A few hours after a crash during the second round left him qualifying 12th on the grid, Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden led the final practice for Sunday’s BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland.
Newgarden clocked a best lap of 59.4533 seconds (118.924 mph) on the 1.964-mile, 12-turn Portland International Raceway. He will start tomorrow’s 110-lap race from the outside of the sixth row.
Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Callum Ilott followed up a season-best qualifying effort of eighth by ending the 30-minute session in second, .0809 of a second back of Newgarden. Points leader Alex Palou, who starts fifth and needs to finish third or better to clinch the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship, was the fastest Honda in third.
Dixon’s teammates, Marcus Ericsson and lone championship rival Scott Dixon, rounded out the Top Five. Dixon, who is aiming to win a third consecutive race for the first time since 2020, needs to gain at least 25 points on Palou to remain mathematically eligible for his record-tying seventh INDYCAR Championship.
Agustin Canapino followed Ilott’s success, as the Argentine driver was the best among the six rookies in the field, placing sixth.
Pole winner Graham Rahal finished 18th while Scott McLaughlin was 21st and starts second.
Prior to Saturday afternoon’s final practice, INDYCAR Announced a six-place grid penalty for the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing entry of Tom Blomqvist. per their release-
“The team was in violation of:
Rule 16.2.3.2 A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out.”
Up Next
Here is the schedule for the weekend at the BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland. Stay with IndyCar1909 for the latest on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
At-track schedule (all times local):
Sunday, Sept. 3
10:15 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland “Drivers Start Your Engines”
10:20 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland (35 laps / 68.74 miles / 55 minutes), Peacock
Noon – NBC on air
12:23 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”
12:30 p.m. – BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland (110 laps/216.04 miles), NBC (Live)
Header Image By Karl Zemlin/INDYCAR
IndyCar1909.com 