IndyCar Barber: VeeKay pips Grosjean by 0.0356s to lead 2nd prepare

The 23-one year-extinct Dutchman rocketed to the tip of the leaderboard with a transient lap of 1m06.5463s on the 2.3-mile, 17-turn pure terrain avenue route.

“The car feels excellent,” VeeKay acknowledged. “It felt reasonably apt yesterday.

“Would per chance no longer in actuality receive a lap in on the crimson tires, but we made some adjustments overnight for what we belief used to be the magnificent direction and it used to be the magnificent direction. So as that is great.

“I am livid for qualifying. Or no longer it is most ceaselessly a truly apt model whereas you happen to’re rapidly in prepare two.”

Romain Grosjean continued his robust weekend, with the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet ending apt off VeeKay at 0.0356s in the reduction of. Team Penske’s Scott Mclaughlin ended up third at 0.0636s off the tip model.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s duo of Graham Rahal and Christian Lundgaard wrapped up fourth and fifth, respectively.

Pato O’Ward used to be sixth in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, forward of Team Penske’s Will Vitality in seventh.

Reigning and two-time IndyCar Assortment champion Alex Palou ended the session along with his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in eighth. Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, who led the hole session on Friday and remains in the highlight over his St. Petersburg disqualification, used to be ninth.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Armstrong, the 2023 IndyCar Rookie of the Year, completed 10th. 

The session started with a crimson flag popping out lower than three minutes in after Pietro Fittipaldi went off in Turn 2, struggling an steering failure.

“We were apt doing laps and warming up the auto,” Fittipaldi acknowledged. “Weren’t in actuality pushing after which my steering rack apt got right here free. Luckily, it did no longer happen in the high-breeze corner because it would’ve been reasonably provoking.

“I had no steering, most ceaselessly. Disappointed because we want laps, clearly, to preserve getting rhythm with these tracks I manufacture no longer know. Clearly, would no longer reduction the race.”

Christian Lundgaard, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda

Photograph by: Josh Heaps / Motorsport Photos

Lundgaard went quickest quickly after the resumption of prepare, producing a flying lap of 1m06.6973s. Nonetheless VeeKay dethroned the Dane along with his rapidly lap with 30 minutes to transfer.

The crimson flag got right here reduction out with 20 minutes final after Arrow McLaren’s Theo Pourchaire, making his 2nd profession IndyCar delivery this weekend, spun off route in Turn 14 after sliding over the crest of the hill. He used to be in a situation to continue on after receiving assist.

At some stage in the crimson flag, the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda of Felix Rosenqvist used to be seen getting pushed reduction to the paddock an engine difficulty, in arrive ending his session.

“We had a loss of energy after which they acknowledged now we procure to park it [for] one thing with the engine,” Rosenqvist acknowledged. “So, wretched.

“I believed in actual fact the auto felt reasonably apt when compared with yesterday, so I am happier now going into qualifying than if it would’ve been yesterday.

“Execrable luck, but we are going to receive her mounted right here. I procure we would manufacture an engine commerce and detect we turn out in quali.”

Qualifying is determined for later at this time at 3: 30pm ET.