Louis Foster jumped to list of favorites to win the pole for the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland later Saturday after leading practice today at Portland International Raceway.

Rookie Foster was quickest in the 45-minute session with a best lap of 1 minute, 2.4266 seconds in the No. 26 Copart/USF Pro Championship car fielded by Andretti Autosport. That time was well under the official track record of 1:02.8074 set by current NTT INDYCAR SERIES star Pato O’Ward in qualifying in 2018. Foster was fourth quickest in the opening practice Friday on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course.

SEE: Practice Results

Foster will try to win his series-leading fourth pole of the season in the INDYCAR development series when qualifying starts at 7:30 p.m. ET today (live, INDYCAR LIVE, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Andretti Autosport teammate Hunter McElrea was second in the session under sunny skies, posting a best lap of 1:02.5551 in the No. 27 Smart Motors car. Championship leader Christian Rasmussen was third at 1:02.5745 in the No. 6 HMD Motorsports with DCR car after leading practice Friday.

Rasmussen, who has won three of the last four races, leads Hunter McElrea by 50 points in the standings with three races remaining. Live coverage of the 35-lap race starts at 1:10 p.m. ET Sunday on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Rookie Nolan Siegel was fourth at 1:02.7051 in the No. 39 HMD Motorsports with DCR car. Victor Franzoni rounded out the top five at 1:02.7169 in the No. 75 Juncos Hollinger Racing machine.