Scott McLaughlin Leads Team Penske to Barber Pole

A crucial pole position for Scott McLaughlin after all the off-track drama the past few days. (Photo: Chris Owens | Penske Entertainment)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The fallout controversy from St. Petersburg involving Team Penske is all the craze and gossip around the INDYCAR paddock.

Such controversy was the least of the organization’s concerns as their drivers, Scott McLaughlin and Will Power, locked the front row for Sunday’s race at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.

McLaughlin and the aptly coined “Meat Wagon,” due to his sponsor Good Ranchers, scored his fifth career NTT P1 Pole Award after clocking in at 65.9490 seconds, besting his teammate by 0.093 seconds in the progress.

Prior to Saturday’s qualifying, McLaughlin was the subject of scrutiny after he and Josef Newgarden were disqualified from their results at St. Pete this past Tuesday for violating Push to Pass procedures. Outside pole sitter Power was also penalized 10 points for his troubles.

None of the drama mattered to McLaughlin as he shot his voice in jubilation after scoring pole at the track he’s looking to defend his throne as race winner.

“It obviously means a lot. Really proud for Good Ranchers to come back here with another fast car,” McLaughlin said. “Ultimately proud for Team Penske. 1-2, it’s quite tough to come by in any series, let alone INDYCAR. Obviously after the week we’ve all had, it’s a nice little reward.”

Power explained his satisfactory of bringing Penske a 1-2 result in qualifying in large part of his No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet remaining great the moment his car rolled out the transporter.

More importantly, it’s Power’s second straight front row start in as many races in this young 2024 season, equaling Felix Rosenqvist’s mark as the most after three qualifying sessions.

“Good bounce back for the team. Man, from the moment we rolled off the truck, the thing’s been great,” said Power. “Really haven’t changed much at all. Felt comfortable the whole time. Just cool to be back in the Fast Six each week. Felt like we should have done it at St. Pete. Yeah, enjoying it a lot. Enjoying it a lot. Like fighting for poles. Always sucks to miss out by a little bit.

“At least this is like almost a 10th. The hundredths really hurt. It’s cool to start up the front. We’re strong in racing. So determined to win a race, man. If I get a sniff of a win, it’s been so long. I’m hanging for that. So starting there gives you a great shot.”

Despite the penalties, Will Power currently sits fifth in the INDYCAR standings. (Photo: Chris Owens | Penske Entertainment)

The grand picture shifts to McLaughlin, who as a result of the disqualification at St. Pete and issues last Sunday at Long Beach, currently sits 29th in the series standings. In other words, he ranks last in the championship trail with only five points to his name.

Clearly, there’s only one goal in the mind of the 30-year-old Kiwi on Sunday and beyond.

“We’re always out there to win. It’s been a tough week, but it is what it is. We’ve moved forward,” said McLaughlin. “We’ll just keep starting our championship I guess comeback we would like to say and do the best we can. The best thing we can do is continue getting poles and hope to get a win, but we know it’s going to be hard.”

Honda’s top man of qualifying was Christian Lundgaard, who’ll roll off third and share the second row with former Barber winner Pato O’Ward.

Lundgaard commented how thrilled the engine supplier maximizing their efforts to put his No. 45 Rahal Letterman Honda in prime position of being super competitive this weekend.

“With the last couple of races with these engines, Honda has done a great job maximizing what we’ve had,” said Lundgaard. “We’ve had a really strong car, but the Honda engine has really helped put us in that position.

“It’s the last race before the month of May, so we really have to maximize what we have here and build the momentum. I’m happy for the support and to be the first Honda.”

Newgarden, who was quickest in Friday’s practice, missed out on the fight for pole by two spots. The Penske racer has been the subject of both sympathy and callousness (i.e. Colton Herta) following his emotional press conference that further ignited the disqualification topic.

But on a cloudy Saturday afternoon, Newgarden’s reason behind missing the Fast Six was straightforward and that’s not being able to put up a better lap to move forward.

“I didn’t do a very good job, so we’re going to roll of eighth. Team did a good job though,” Newgarden said. “Had a good PPG Chevy this weekend. Wish we could have got a little bit more out of there. PPG and Chevrolet’s support has been great as always, and just excited to race.”

Newgarden enters Barber 11th in the INDYCAR standings. (Photo: Karl Zemlin | Penske Entertainment)

Last week’s race winner and current INDYCAR points leader Scott Dixon, also failed to make the Firestone Fast Six as he’ll roll off 13th.

Finally, Rinus VeeKay, who wowed folks for going quickest in Saturday’s practice session, will roll off last out of the 27-car field.

Race coverage of the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix begins at 1 p.m. ET on NBC and stream live on Peacock. The third round of the championship trail consists of 90 laps around the 2.3-mile road course.

2024 Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix Starting Grid