By David Morgan, Associate Editor
Team Penske will have its work cut out for itself when the green flag drops on Sunday’s The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix after struggling in qualifying on Saturday.
All three drivers took to the track in the first group in the first round of time trials, but the speed just did not come for the team that strives to be “Penske Perfect,” leaving them with their worst qualifying effort as a group since the 2021 Indianapolis 500.
Josef Newgarden timed in the best of the trio with a lap of one minute, 40.695 seconds around the 3.067-mile, 17-turn road course in the California desert and will roll off from 17th on Sunday.
“I don’t know. We just weren’t quick,” Newgarden said of the missing key for his qualifying run. “You know, all of us didn’t look fantastic in our group. If you’re saying you need three/four tenths, I think we could have put that together on the red tire.
“Had traffic on the end of my run, I don’t know who it was, I think it might have been VeeKay. It was probably a tenth or two in that final sector. And then I dropped a little time personally in Turn 9. I could see getting a transfer spot out of that, just maybe losing the major speed that we’re going to need.”
Despite having to start in the back half of the field, Newgarden remains upbeat that his team can find some speed overnight to get them back in play on Sunday.
“I felt really good going into qualifying, I thought our car was in a good window,” Newgarden said. “Obviously, we’re going to have to find some speed for tomorrow now, but we can always make something happen. I always feel good with Team Penske. Always look out for the PPG car, it can go to the front. We’ll try and get there tomorrow.”
Will Power, who struggled in qualifying in the season opener at St. Petersburg to start the month, posted a fast lap of one minute, 40.974 seconds and will start from 21st.
“I think I lacked a good out lap to get some front tire temp, maybe we should have left earlier to get a clear out lap because my first corner, I just pushed wide and I saw I was three-tenths down. So, I aborted that and then I reckon you’re on the back foot anyway because you put a half-lap on your tires,” Power explained.
“Man, we were good in every single session except the one that counted. That’s been our whole year so far is being extremely good, fast in practice and testing and even on blacks – we were fourth quickest there. When it came time to do it, it just wasn’t there.”
The newest member of the Penske trio, Scott McLaughlin, has had a day in the desert after a brake fan was left on his car during second practice earlier in the day, followed by a spin in his opening lap of qualifying.
From there the No. 3 team, just couldn’t find the speed and he will have to start all the way back in 25th place.
“Sorry to my guys on the XPEL Chevy, I made a mistake on the black tire and saved it, but it’s hard to get a read on the track conditions after that,” said McLaughlin.
“And then the red tire, I felt like we were going to be pretty good because we were out of sync, we weren’t using this No. 1 pit stall that well and when I came around the corner in Turn 1, there was just dirt everywhere from whoever was in front of me before. Just had no grip whatsoever.
“Look, who knows if we would have advanced, but I think we would have been a lot better than where we are now. Pay day is tomorrow. I’ve got the best team on pit road to get me going in this XPEL Chevy and we’ll see how we go.
“I’m bummed. Disappointed in myself, we’ll work on that and get better tomorrow.”
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