By the Numbers: Second Practice Results

Two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden is in the groove today on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, posting the best lap in the second practice session for the GMR Grand Prix.

Newgarden led at one minute, 9.3323 seconds in the No. 2 Snap-on Tools Team Penske Chevrolet. That fast lap continued a consistent performance on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course for Newgarden, who was fourth quickest this morning in the opening practice at 1:10.0643.

“The car feels fast – old tires, new tires,” Newgarden said. “Hopefully it stays that way all the way through tomorrow. The longevity of the car: It’s just quick in any condition. That’s what you want. You want it when you can switch the tires on and go really quick or if they have 14 laps on them, you can go really quick. You need both. You don’t always get that.”

Rinus VeeKay climbed from third in the morning session to second this afternoon at 1:09.4020 in the No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek Chevrolet. Three-time GMR Grand Prix winner Will Power was third at 1:09.4747 in the No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet.

Colton Herta, fresh off a contract extension with Andretti Autosport, was fourth at 1:09.4999 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda. Rookie Scott McLaughlin gave Team Penske three of the top five spots by ending up fifth at 1:09.5514 in the No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet.

Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and current championship leader Scott Dixon had an uncharacteristically quiet session, ending up 23rd at 1:10.7770 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

NTT P1 Award qualifying starts at 4:30 p.m. Predicting the grid order before the session is a crapshoot, as just .8032 of a second separated the top 20 drivers in the second practice.