Pato O’Ward robs Mid-Ohio Paul and fights for IndyCar title

Lexington, Ohio (AP) — The IndyCar Championship race is facing great turmoil on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. There, the top title candidates struggled and Pato O’Ward won the pole to match the series mark set in 1961.

O’Ward became the ninth pole winner in nine races this season. This is the first time in 61 years. Aroma McLaren SP drivers are aiming for the lead in IndyCar points.

The modern record of the various drivers who won the pole to start the season is 10 in 1952.

“This is a huge man. It’s a track position race,” O’Ward said, making it difficult to pass the 2.258 mile course on 13 turns in Mid-Ohio. “It’s a long race. Many things can happen, but we have a great starting position.”

The championship leader will start the race on Sunday in a traffic jam.

Marcus Ericsson, Will Power and Josef Newgarden were all stuck in the first group of qualifying on Saturday, after which series champion Alex Palou was knocked out of the second round.

“IndyCar, Man,” Parrow shrugged.

It created a great opportunity for O’Ward and Scott Dixon to take a serious position in the championship race. O’Ward and Dixon were the only two drivers in the top six of the championship rankings to advance to the final round of qualifying on Saturday. O’Ward is ranked 4th, 45 points behind Ericsson. Meanwhile, Dixon is 69 points behind Chip Ganassi Racing’s teammate Ericsson.

O’Ward was followed by Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin in qualifying when the Chevrolet driver swept the front row. Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta was third for Honda, and O’Ward’s teammate Felix Rosenqvist was fourth.

Meyer Shank Racing’s Dixon and Simon Pagenaud conclude Honda’s third row.

A pair of early mistakes in qualifying hampered the two championship leaders.

Indianapolis 500 winner Ericsson said the soil had been kicked back into the truck during his attempt. The current IndyCar Point Leader starts in 13th place. Power was punished for interfering with Elio Castroneves’ rap.

New Garden said he was suffering from traffic jams.

“This is an IndyCar qualifying, and sometimes it’s perfectly fine, no problem,” Newgarden said. “It’s a tight track, we go out first, and I always catch slow pork.”

The power to overtake Ericsson by 27 points disqualified two laps of the fastest lap and started from 21st place. He said it was Team Penske’s error that was likely to lose his chances of winning on Sunday.

“Nothing can happen in this series, but we don’t fall back to so many cars. We can’t win. That’s what he says,” Power said. “And on weekends when you have a car that you can win, you can’t do this. This is for us, we weren’t on it, and that’s the rule.”

The future of doubtful Calderon

Tatiana Calderon has returned to IndyCar from the first Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​in the United Kingdom. Due to sponsorship issues, her future in her series is questionable.

Colombian drivers planned to drive all AJ Foyt Racing road and street course races this season, but sponsor ROKiT Group is lagging behind in payments. Voith brought Calderon to Mid-Ohio because he tested the truck a year ago while concluding a deal.

“I know a little about the course and feel of this car,” she said. “It’s my first time to go to a circuit I know. I’m looking forward to it.”

She will start on the 26th, but the future of the No. 11 Chevrolet after Sunday is not guaranteed. ROKiT is also behind the 14th payment led by Kyle Kirkwood. The team has moved Associate Sponsor Sexton Properties to a key location in Kirkwood’s car in Mid-Ohio, and Team President Larry Voith is working to resolve the funding shortfall.

“We are trying to overcome difficult situations because ROKiT wants to continue the program, but there are some issues that can prevent it,” said Larry Voith. “We will continue to try to settle with ROKiT or find alternative funding that is at best difficult at this point in the season. Entry 14 will be run throughout the season as it does not rely solely on ROKiT funding. “

Meanwhile, Calderon drove the 1957 Kuzma Offenhauser at Goodwood, with Jimmy Bryan winning the national championship. When Brian switched teams in 1958, AJ Foyt made his first start in the car with the Indy 500.

“At Goodwood … it was an honor to drive a car and find out that AJ was the car that made its debut in Indy,” Calderon said. “Also, let’s take a look at how much the IndyCar has changed, in contrast to today’s IndyCar.”

RAHAL MILESTONE START

It’s appropriate for Graham Rahal to begin his 250th career on Mid-Ohio, a track near the original headquarters of Rahal Letterman Lanigan in Hilliard.

Rahal has made 15 IndyCar starts in Mid-Ohio and won the home course in 2015. At the age of 16, Rahal became the youngest winner of the SCCA National Formula Atlantic Championship, winning an overwhelming victory. He also competed in the Star Mazda race here in 2005 and tested a sports car in Mid-Ohio in 2007.

“Living in central Ohio has always been great. We have very high expectations and expectations, just like when we return to central Ohio,” Rahal said. “I want to get the podium and win at home. The weekend of July 4th is a big weekend for everyone.”

He starts on the 18th.