By: Spencer Neff
July 18, 2026
After opening the weekend as the fastest driver in practice, Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood earned his first pole of 2026 and will lead the 25-car field to green in Sunday’s 300-lap Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix. Kirkwood now has two poles in three starts on the 1.33-mile oval in Lebanon, Tennessee.
In two previous races at Nashville, Kirkwood has finished fourth and sixth. The current runner-up in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES points standings earns his fourth pole and first since Long Beach in 2025. It is Andretti Global’s second pole of the season and first since Arlington in March with Marcus Ericsson, a race Kirkwood won.
Andretti Global now boasts 63 INDYCAR poles.
Starting outside Kirkwood on the front row is 2025 winner and native of nearby Hendersonville, Josef Newgarden, splitting the front row between Honda and Chevrolet. Newgarden has won twice in 2026, on the ovals in Phoenix and Worldwide Technology Raceway.
Newgarden’s teammate Scott McLaughlin will start in third, where he finished last year’s race. Current NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Alex Palou will start fourth. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver finished second to Newgarden in last year’s race and is 56 points ahead of Kirkwood.
Palou’s teammate and three-time Nashville winner Scott Dixon qualified fifth as he looks to close out his 25th and final season at CGR with another victory before his 2027 move to Arrow McLaren.
Rookie of the Year contenders Caio Collet of A.J. Foyt Racing and Mick Schumacher of Rahal letterman lanigan Racing start on the eighth row. Current Rookie of the Year leader Dennis Hauger of Dale Coyne Racing was 23rd, last among cars to make a qualifying attempt.
While starting his car for the scheduled qualifying attempt, Graham Rahal radioed to his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team he was experiencing fuel pressure issues. The No. 15 was unable to get started before the alloted minute expired and INDYCAR Race Control Director Kyle Novak shut down the run, relegating them to the back of the field.
Following David Malukas’ practice crash and subsequent trip to a local hospital, the No. 12 entry for Team Penske did not make a qualifying attempt. Conor Daly is on hand as a potential substitute if Malukas is not cleared to drive. Regardless of the driver, the car will start in the back of the 25-car field without an attempt on top of the scheduled nine-place grid penalty.
Christian Lundgaard’s No. 7 Arrow McLaren entry was also given the same penalty before qualifying 19th this afternoon.
Up Next
Here is the remaining schedule for the weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. Stay with IndyCar1909.com and our social media platforms with the latest on the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix.
At-track schedule (all times Central):
SATURDAY, JULY 18
5 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES High Line Session (Two groups, four alternating 10-minute
sessions), FS2
6-7 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, FS2
SUNDAY, JULY 19
4:35 p.m. – FOX on air (all times approximate, based on World Cup Final)
4:35 p.m. – Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls “Drivers, start your
engines”
4:40 p.m. – Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by OnlyBulls (300 laps/399
miles), FOX (Live)
Header Image By Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR
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