Kyffin Simpson led the only practice session before qualifying for the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix on Friday morning on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

Simpson, from the Cayman Islands, topped the charts at 1 minute, 15.2830 seconds in the No. 21 HMD Motorsports with CGR car.

SEE: Practice Results

“I feel pretty good about the car right now,” Simpson said. “The track is pretty green right now, so we’re going to have to see what it’s going to evolve like, especially with INDYCAR having another practice before we go out (for qualifying). That will change things up quite a bit.”

Qualifying is scheduled to start at 2:20 p.m. ET today (live, INDYCAR LIVE, INDYCAR Radio Network) on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit. The 35-lap race starts at 1 p.m. Saturday (live, Peacock, INDYCAR LIVE, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Hunter McElrea was second quickest in the 50-minute session, turning a best lap of 1:15.3967 in the No. 27 Smart Motors machine fielded by Andretti Autosport. Rookie Nolan Siegel was third at 1:15.4075 in the No. 39 HMD Motorsports with DCR car.

Rookie Matteo Nannini produced a strong session, ending up fourth at 1:15.5651 in the No. 75 Juncos Hollinger Racing car. Fellow rookie Louis Foster rounded out the top five at 1:15.5980 in the No. 26 Copart/USF Pro Championship machine fielded by Andretti Autosport.

Championship leader Christian Rasmussen was sixth at 1:15.6148 in the No. 6 HMD Motorsports with DCR car. Rasmussen won the INDYCAR development series’ latest round April 30 at Barber Motorsports Park.