By: Spencer Neff
August 9, 2025
Arrow McLaren finished 1-2 in the final round of qualifying for Sunday’s BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland, with Christian Lundgaard (58.3939 seconds-121.081 mph) earning his third career pole and first since Toronto 2023.
Lundgaard was assessed a six-place grid penalty following his team’s unapproved engine change on Saturday morning. He will start seventh in Sunday’s 110-lap race on the 1.964-mile, 12-turn permanent road course in Oregon.
It is Arrow McLaren’s first pole since Thermal in March and 30th in team history. Lundgaard earns his first pole since joining the organization for 2025.
Round 3-Fast Six
Lundgaard’s teammate Pato O”Ward, who finished .1404 of a second off his teammates, will start at the front of the 27-car field after Lundgaard’s Penalty.
Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist qualified third as the best Honda following the Arrow McLaren Chevrolet’s. Team Penske’s Will Power, A.J. Foyt Racing’s David Malukas and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou rounded out the Fast Six.
Palou went off course in Turn 11 and was docked his fastest lap after causing a local yellow early in the session.
If O’Ward gains 14 or more points on O”Ward in tomorrow’s race, he will keep himself mathematically eligible for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship.
Round 2-Fast 12
Rosnqvist (58.1918-121.502 mph) led Group 2, advancing to the run for the pole with Lundgaard, O’Ward, Palou, Power and Malukas.
Outside the Fast Six were Alexander Rossi, Marcus Armstrong, Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson and Kyffin. Simpson.
Newgarden (engine change) and Simpson (avoidable contact at Laguna Seca) will have six-placed grid penalties after this drivers placed seventh through 12th.
Round 1
Palou led the first of two group qualifying sessions to begin Saturday, posting a best lap of 58.1185 seconds (121.655 mph). Advancing to the Fast 12 with him included Simpson, Power, Armstrong, Rossi and Malukas.
Missing the cut were Scott McLaughlin, Santino Ferrucci (six-place grid penalty), Louis Foster, Nolan Siegel, Sting Ray Robb, Rinus Veekay and Robert Shwartzman. They will start inside of Rows 7-13.
Foster is best among the rookies and currently leads Shwartzman by four points in the Rookie of the Year standings.
With just over a minute remaining, Shwartzman went off course between Turns 11 and 12. The PREMA Racing rookie was docked his two best laps and was not allowed to partake in th session following the incident.
O’Ward was fastest in Group 2, notching a best lap of 58.242 seconds (121.397 mph). Following him into the second round were Ericsson, Newgarden, Dixon, Lundgaard and Rosenqvist.
Outside those six were Devlin DeFrancesco, Colton Herta, Christian Rasmussen, Kyle Kirkwood, Graham Rahal, Callum Ilott, Conor Daly and Jacob Abel.
Abel starts 27th, while the other drivers line up on the outside of Rows 7-13.
Newgarden assessed penalty
Following this morning’s practice, the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet entry (driver Josef Newgarden) was given a six-position grid penalty for an unapproved engine change.
Per INDYCAR, “The entry was in violation of:
Rule 16.1.2.3.2. 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.
According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, which is the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland presented by askROI Sunday, Aug. 10 at PIR.”
Up Next
Here is the remaining weekend schedule at Portland International Raceway. Stay with IndyCar1909.com and our social media platforms for the latest on the BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland.
At-track schedule (all times local):
Saturday, Aug. 9
4:32-4:57 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, FS1 (live)
5:30 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying (two groups/12 minutes each), FS2 (live)
Sunday, Aug. 10
10:01 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland “Drivers, start your engines”
10:06 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland (35 laps / 68.74 miles / 55 minutes), FS1 (live)
Noon – FOX on air
12:15 p.m. – BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland presented by askROI “Drivers, start your engines”
12:22 p.m. – BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland presented by askROI (110 laps/216.04 miles), FOX (live)
Header Image By Chris Owens/INDYCAR
IndyCar1909.com 