The 2025 IndyCar season draws to a thrilling close with the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, and qualifying set the stage for what promises to be an action-packed finale.
With the reverse points system dictating the order on the oval-style circuit, each driver had a single qualifying attempt comprising two warm-up laps followed by two timed laps, combined to form a two-lap average speed.
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin was the first Kiwi to take to the track. His opening timed lap of 23.8059 seconds was followed by a slightly slower 23.8275-second effort, giving him a two-lap total of 0:47.6334 and an average speed of 201.035mph.
At the time, McLaughlin sat fourth on the provisional grid behind teammate Josef Newgarden, who posted a 2-lap average speed of 201.390mph, as several drivers, including fellow Kiwis Scott Dixon and Marcus Armstrong, were yet to complete their runs.
Qualifying Highlights HERE
Armstrong was next out, setting an initial lap of 23.9682 seconds and improving slightly to 23.9171 seconds on his second lap. His total time of 0:47.8853 seconds, averaging 199.978mph, placed him 12th on the provisional order, just behind his teammate Felix Rosenqvist, who had posted 200.696mph for 7th at the time.
The final Kiwi to hit the track was Scott Dixon, whose qualifying run proved the strongest among the New Zealand trio. Dixon clocked a blistering first lap of 23.7324 seconds, followed by a 23.8060-second second lap, totalling 0:47.5384 with a two-lap average of 201.437mph.
That performance slotted him into third on the provisional grid, just behind David Malukas and Christian Lundgaard, and ahead of Newgarden, Nolan Siegel, McLaughlin, Callum Ilott, Kyffin Simpson, Rosenqvist, and Will Power, who rounded out the top 10 at that stage.
The battle for pole saw Pato O’Ward set a pair of quick laps at 23.5968 and 23.6639 seconds, producing a total of 0:47.2607 and a 2-lap average speed of 202.621mph.
That effort secured provisional pole, pending the run of 2025 IndyCar Champion Alex Palou, who ultimately recorded laps of 23.7520 and 23.7474 seconds. Palou’s 0:47.4994 total and 201.603mph average speed placed him fourth on the grid.
With qualifying complete, the front row for Nashville’s finale is set: O’Ward alongside Malukas, while Dixon starts an impressive fifth. McLaughlin will line up eighth, and Armstrong will start 17th, giving the Kiwi drivers plenty of work to do in what promises to be a dramatic race to close out the season.
Qualifying Results HERE
The Music City Grand Prix is scheduled to begin at 6:00am Monday (NZST), and New Zealand fans can catch the action live on Sky Sports.
Header Image: Penske Entertainment – James Black
