Will Power is the undisputed king of qualifying in NTT INDYCAR SERIES history. But the series has a Generation Next, and his name is Colton Herta.
Herta has rapidly ascended to the sport’s qualifying throne, and he is on a record pace. Power was 25 years and 234 days old when he scored his first series pole in 2006. Herta is still only 24 years old, and he already has 14 poles.
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Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian driver Herta didn’t just start his career earlier than Power, he has excelled quicker, and over the past five-plus seasons he has kept pace with the series’ all-time qualifier. Since Herta earned his first pole at Road America in 2019, he and Power have the same number of poles, and Herta has three so far this season, Power none.
Herta has topped three of the past seven qualifying sessions, including two of the past three. This is the fifth time in six years he has earned at least two poles, and this is his third season with at least three. There are still five races left in this season, including this weekend’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World Wide Technology Raceway, where he again figures to be one of the fastest.
The pole total of Herta is already tied for 23rd in the sport’s history, matching the career efforts of Tony Bettenhausen, Don Branson and Tom Sneva, who was known as “The Gas Man” for winning three poles at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Herta’s next pole ties Tony Kanaan’s career mark.
Herta’s recent string of poles includes two on street circuits – Detroit and Toronto – and his first career oval pole, at Iowa Speedway. Since the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, the driver of the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda has qualified first, second, fourth, fourth, first, fourth and first. No one else’s qualifying run can compare.
Herta’s history at this 1.25-mile oval suggests he will have an opportunity to continue that run of success in Friday’s qualifying session at 4:20 p.m. ET (Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network). He has qualified second for two of the past three races at WWTR, including last year when Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin edged him. Herta also qualified 10th for both races in 2020, his second year in the series.
The Title Pursuit
Saturday’s 260-lap race (6 p.m. ET, USA Network, Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network) is the first of five to finish the season and determine which driver wins the Astor Challenge Cup.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) holds a 49-point lead over Power (No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet) in pursuit of his third series championship in the past four years. This season has tracked similarly to Palou’s other two title years, which should give him confidence that another championship is within reach.
In 2021, Palou led teammate Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) by 42 points with five races remaining. He finished 38 points ahead of his nearest challenger, Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden.
Last year, Palou’s advantage at this stage in the season was 80 points over Newgarden. Palou won by 78 points, with Dixon second.
The preponderance of oval tracks left in the season opens the door for varied results, so as Palou certainly knows, much can happen the rest of the way. As many as 270 points are left to be won, including 54 this weekend. The most a driver can gain on an opponent in a single race is 49 points.
Newgarden (No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet) has won nine of the past 14 oval races in the series, including three of the past four at WWTR and four overall. But he has a lot of ground to cover in pursuit of his third series title. He is eighth in the standings, 145 points behind Palou.
On the Driver Front
Much has happened since the last time the NTT INDYCAR SERIES staged a race, July 21 with the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto won by Herta.
Alexander Rossi has had his injured thumb surgically repaired after hitting the barrier at Toronto’s Exhibition Place circuit, and he returns to the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, which was driven by series rookie Theo Pourchaire in the Canadian race.
Conor Daly is replacing Agustin Canapino for the rest of the season in the No. 78 Juncos Hollinger Chevrolet. Daly has competed in seven series races at this track, and he has advanced his position five times, most notably charging from 18th to finish sixth in 2019 for Carlin. He posted a pair of top-10 finishes in the 2020 races with Carlin. Last year he finished 16th for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Katherine Legge also is back in the No. 51 e.l.f. Cosmetics Honda of Dale Coyne Racing.
David Malukas returns to Meyer Shank Racing’s No. 66 AutoNation/Arctic Wolf Honda, but he was confirmed earlier this week to drive for AJ Foyt Racing starting in 2025.
Can Dixon Do Improbable Again?
Dixon and strategist Mike Hull repeatedly execute their game plan better than any other pairing in the field, and last year’s WWTR race was an example of that.
Six-time series champion Dixon masterfully saved fuel and navigated traffic to score the 55th of what is now 58 career race wins, and his margin of victory over Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) was more than 22 seconds.
Dixon drove to victory in part because he made only three pit stops – the rest of the field did a minimum of four – and he did so despite starting 16th in the 28-car field due to taking a nine-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change after the previous race. Dixon led 123 of the race’s 260 laps. Newgarden, who had won the previous three series races at the track, led 98 laps.
O’Ward and Malukas, who was then driving for Dale Coyne Racing with HMD, were the only two drivers to finish on the lead lap with Dixon. Rossi and Team Penske’s McLaughlin (No. 3 DEX Imagining Team Penske Chevrolet) rounded out the top five in the fourth and fifth finishing positions, respectively.
The Weekend Schedule
This event is a two-day show featuring the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT by Firestone and USAC’s Silver Crown Series.
The first practice for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is at 12:45 p.m. ET Friday. The 60-minute session will allow the 27 car-and-driver combinations to prepare for NTT P1 Award qualifying at 4:20 p.m. ET.
Final practice will begin at 7:45 p.m. ET Friday, with the first 30 minutes dedicated to running in the high groove. Teams will work as they choose beginning at 8:30 p.m.
INDY NXT will begin preparations for the OUTFRONT Showdown with the first practice at 3:15 p.m. ET Friday. Qualifying is at 6:45 p.m. Friday, with the 75-lap race at 4 p.m. ET Saturday (Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network).