By: Spencer Neff
July 4, 2026
Christian Lundgaard and his Arrow McLaren team’s pace on permanent road courses was proven again Saturday afternoon at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The Heddenstead, Denmark native powered to his first pole of 2026 with a lap of 1m04.8396 (125.368 mph) on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn circuit in Lexington, Ohio.
Lundgaard scores his first official pole since Toronto in 2023 (engine penalty relegated him to seventh in Portland last year). It is Lundgaard’s fourth career pole and first at Mid-Ohio (he qualified second and finished third here in 2025).
He is the 88th driver to record at least four INDYCAR poles. Arrow McLaren also earns their first pole of 2026 (Pato O”Ward- Nashville 2025) and their 31st in the series.
Teammate O’Ward finished .0253 of a second, securing the organization’s first lockout of a front row since Thermal Club in 2025.
Round 3-Fast Six
Following the Arrow McLaren duo was Andretti Global’s Will Power (the lone Honda in the Fast Six among five Chevrolets) and Team Penske’s David Malukas in Row 2.
On Row 3 is Ed Carpenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay. For both drivers, it is their first appearance in the Top Six this year and thereby each giving them a best start for 2026.
Round 2-Fast 12
Malukas (1m04.7099-125.619 mph) was fastest during the second round of qualifying and would lead the half-dozen competitors for pole, along with Rasmussen, Lundgaard, Power, O’Ward and VeeKay/
Missing the cut would be Marcus Ericsson, NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Alex Palou (his five-race pole streak ends), Josef Newgarden, Kyle Kirkwood, Caio Collet (highest-qualified rookie) and Graham Rahal. They start in seventh through 12th.
Round 1
Group 1: Kirkwoood (1m04.8933-125.264 mph) led the way in the first group following the rain delay nearing three hours. He advanced to the Fast 12 with Rasmussen, O’Ward, Malukas, VeeKay and Rahal.
Missing out on the second round would be Felix Rosenqvist, Nolan Siegel, Scott McLaughlin, Louis Foster, Scott Dixon and Romain Grosjean, the latter two had been embroiled in a controversial qualifying interference call that ultimately cost Dixon his best lap. They star on the inside of rows 7-12.
Group 2: Palou (1m04.8656-125.318 mph) led the way in the second group as he would move on to the second round alongside Lundgaard, Ericsson, Newgarden, Power and Collet.
Dale Coyne Racing rookie Dennis Hauger will start in 25th tomorrow after not advancing.
Sting Ray Robb (will serve a six-position grid penalty for an engine change), Mick Schumacher, Alexander Rossi, Kyffin Simpsonb, Santino Ferrucci, Marcus Armstrong also did not advance. They will start on the outside of Rows 7-12.
Up Next
Here is the race day schedule for the weekend at Mid-Ohio. Stay with IndyCar1909.com for the latest on the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES>Â
SUNDAY, JULY 5
9:05-9:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup, FS1 (live)
11:57 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Driver Introductions
12:30 p.m. – FOX on air
12:45 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid command to start engines
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12:52 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid (90 laps/203.22 miles), FOX (live)
Header Image By Chris Owens/INDYCAR
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