Kyle Kirkwood denies Newgarden with late Nashville pole
- Hope Van Beek
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
Kyle Kirkwood delivered an outstanding performance in qualifying for the Music City Grand Prix, securing pole position with a late run that showed both his confidence and Andretti Global’s strength on ovals.
The American had already shown strong pace earlier in the weekend, topping the opening practice session with an average speed of 197.097mph in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda. That momentum carried into qualifying, where he executed when it mattered most to claim his second Nashville pole.
David Malukas was ruled out of qualifying following a crash in practice. The Team Penske driver was transported to a local hospital for further testing. His absence meant the No. 12 car did not take part in the session.
Qualifying followed the traditional oval format, with each driver completing a two lap run. The average speed across both laps determined grid position, placing a greater emphasis on consistency than on single-lap pace.
As it happened
Mick Schumacher was the first driver to take to the track, setting an early benchmark with an average speed of 194.815mph. It provided a solid reference point, though it was clear that faster times would follow as the track evolved.
Christian Rasmussen soon raised the bar, becoming the first driver to break into the 195mph range with a 195.585mph average. The Dane’s run briefly placed him at the top of the timesheets and suggested that the conditions would allow for competitive speeds across the field.
Not every driver found that rhythm. Dale Coyne Racing endured a difficult session, with Romain Grosjean managing only 192.585mph and Dennis Hauger slightly slower at 192.222mph. Both drivers struggled to extract pace, leaving them with work to do heading into race day.
Santino Ferrucci, known for doing well on ovals, delivered a typically strong run to move into second with a 195.332mph average. His performance reinforced his reputation as a consistent contender on high speed circuits.
As the session progressed, the pace continued to rise. Alexander Rossi, the tenth driver to run, produced one of the standout laps of the early phase, jumping to the top of the leaderboard with a 195.644mph average.
It marked a strong showing for Ed Carpenter Racing, with both Rossi and the team demonstrating competitive speed in Nashville.
Graham Rahal, however, was unable to set a time after failing to exit the pit lane before the session window closed. It was a frustrating moment for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, removing one of their drivers from the qualifying fight entirely.
Marcus Armstrong followed with a solid effort, placing himself third with a 195.578mph run. The margins remained tight, with only tenths of a mile per hour separating multiple drivers in the upper order.
Scott Dixon, running sixteenth, briefly took control of the session with a 195.802mph average. The Ganassi driver’s run highlighted both his experience and ability to extract performance under pressure.
The session shifted dramatically when Scott McLaughlin became the first driver to break into the 196mph range. His 196.087mph average raised the standard and immediately placed pressure on those yet to run.
Felix Rosenqvist, the reigning Indianapolis 500 winner, endured a more difficult outing. His 194.808mph run left him outside the leading group, a disappointing result given his recent form on ovals.
Josef Newgarden, widely regarded as one of the strongest oval racers in the series, delivered when it mattered. His 196.642mph average placed him on provisional pole and set a target for the remaining drivers.
Behind him, Pato O’Ward was unable to match that pace. The previous race winner managed only 195.154mph, placing him tenth, just ahead of team mate Nolan Siegel, who recorded a 194.947mph run.
Christian Lundgaard also faced a challenging session. His 194.086mph effort left him seventeenth, and with a nine place grid penalty due to an unapproved engine change, his starting position for the race will be even further compromised.
Kirkwood produced a near flawless two lap run, recording an average speed of 196.852mph to move ahead of Newgarden and claim provisional pole.
The final run of the session belonged to Álex Palou. As the championship leader, he carried both expectation and pressure, with the opportunity to deny Kirkwood at the last moment.
Palou delivered a strong run, recording an average of 196.050mph, yet it was not enough to challenge for pole. He ultimately settled 4th.
Behind Kirkwood, the grid features a mix of experienced oval specialists and emerging contenders. Newgarden’s pace suggests he will be a factor, while McLaughlin and Dixon remain threats through strategy and racecraft.
Kirkwood will run first with Newgarden joining him on the front row. Full qualifying results are below.
Kirkwood
Newgarden
McLaughlin
Palou
Dixon
Rossi
Rasmussen
Armstrong
VeeKay
Ericsson
Ferrucci
O’Ward
Siegel
Power
Collet
Schumacher
Rosenqvist
Simpson
Lundgaard
Foster
Robb
Grosjean
Hauger
Rahal
Malukas
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