The pre-session downpour and high winds caused a delay of over eight hours for the session at the 1.25-mile oval known as Gateway. Finally, after the weather cleared up, the session commenced, but it was shortened to just 60 minutes.
Despite the challenging conditions, Josef Newgarden managed to set the fastest lap time of 24.9944s at a speed of 180.040mph. This was a remarkable performance considering the circumstances. Newgarden, a four-time winner at this oval, proved his skill once again.
This session also marked the debut of Firestone’s softer alternate tire on an oval. The teams were mandated to run the alternate tire during this session. Initially, most teams started on the primary tires and later switched to the red-walled alternates. It was interesting to see how the teams adapted their strategies accordingly.
Marcus Ericsson showcased his talent early on in the session, setting the pace with a lap time of 25.3202s at a speed of 177.724mph. However, he was soon overtaken by Colton Herta from Andretti Autosport, who posted a time of 25.2607s at 178.142mph. It was an impressive performance by both drivers.
After 15 minutes of running, Josef Newgarden claimed the top spot for Team Penske with a blistering lap time of 24.9944s at a speed of 190.040mph. This reaffirmed his status as one of the best oval drivers in the series. Alexander Rossi, driving for Arrow McLaren, came in close behind, 0.2425s adrift of Newgarden.
As the session progressed, some drivers opted for a race simulation to evaluate tire degradation. Rossi was the first to try the alternate tires but did not improve his fastest time. Felix Rosenqvist, in the McLaren team, managed to jump up to second place on the primary tires with a lap time of 25.2076s at 178.518mph. Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske surpassed Rosenqvist’s time and claimed the second spot with 25.0902s at 179.353mph.
There were a few incidents towards the end of the session that led to a caution flag. Takuma Sato ran wide in Turn 4, narrowly avoiding the wall. The restart was short-lived as McLaughlin spun into the grass on the inside of Turn 2, causing Power to hit the wall. Ericsson couldn’t avoid the collision and collected Power at high speed. These incidents added to the drama of the session.
Despite the interruptions, Josef Newgarden finished the hour-long session on top, almost a tenth of a second ahead of McLaughlin, Sato, Power, Rosenqvist, and Rossi. Their strong performances bode well for the upcoming race.
In addition to the on-track action, IndyCar officials announced grid penalties for several drivers. Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, Takuma Sato, Kyle Kirkwood, and Agustin Canapino were all penalized for unapproved engine changes since the last round. These penalties will affect their starting positions in the race.
Following the main session, there will be a “high-line” practice session at 9pm ET. This session will allow cars to lay rubber on the track, aiming to improve the conditions for Sunday’s racing. It will be interesting to see how the teams utilize this opportunity.
The gateway session proved to be challenging due to weather conditions and incidents on the track. Nonetheless, drivers like Josef Newgarden showcased their skill and topped the charts. The debut of Firestone’s alternate tire added an extra element to the session, allowing teams to experiment with different strategies. The grid penalties announced by IndyCar officials will surely impact the starting positions for the race. Overall, this session served as an exciting preview of the action to come.
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