A tumultuous 2025 got a bit better for Josef Newgarden on Saturday (July 12) at Iowa Speedway, as he and Alex Palou claimed the pole positions for this weekend’s pair of NTT IndyCar Series races at the Newton, Iowa, short track.
Newgarden, among the first drivers to qualify, set a fast time in the format that used each driver’s two qualifying laps to set the field for Saturday’s Synk 275 and Sunday’s Farm to Finish 275. Newgarden’s first lap of 183.999 mph was good for the first starting spot in Saturday’s race, but later qualifiers knocked him off the top spot for Sunday.
Newgarden’s fast time for Saturday saw the top five rounded out by Conor Daly, Felix Rosenqvist, Alex Palou, and Pato O’Ward.
Palou, one of the session’s final drivers to qualify, snagged the pole position for Sunday’s race with a speed of 184.414 mph, just ahead of Rosenqvist’s 183.975. David Malukas, Newgarden and Nolan Siegel rounded out the top five starting spots for Sunday.
Newgarden found some much-needed fortune in his strong run, but his Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin was not as fortunate.
McLaughlin posted the fastest time in Saturday morning’s practice and entered the weekend with no career starts at Iowa outside the top five, but will now have to start both of the weekend’s races from the rear after spinning during his qualifying run.
Saturday’s race will begin at 5 p.m. ET with coverage on FOX, while Sunday’s race will start at 1 p.m.
Brad joined Frontstretch.com in 2020 and contributes to the site's 5 Points To Ponder column and other roles as needed. A graduate of the University of Georgia's Henry W. Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communication, he has covered sports in some capacity for more than 20 years with coverage including local high school sports, college athletics and minor league hockey. Brad has received multiple awards for his work from the Georgia Press Association.