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O’Ward Inherits Portland Pole After Lundgaard Penalty; Palou to Start Fifth

Starting fifth, Alex Palou can clinch a fourth championship by leaving Pato O’Ward at least 108 points behind after the race.

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Overview

  • Christian Lundgaard recorded the fastest lap at 58.3939 seconds but will be pushed to seventh on the grid after taking a sixth-place engine-change penalty for exceeding the four-engine allocation.
  • Pato O’Ward, originally second in qualifying, inherits pole position for Sunday’s BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland and will lead the 27-car field to green.
  • Alex Palou lost his best lap when he locked up into the final corner and clipped the tire barrier, relegating him to a fifth-place start in the title-deciding race.
  • Palou holds a 121-point advantage over O’Ward and can seal his fourth NTT IndyCar Series crown by maintaining at least a 108-point margin at the finish.
  • Forecasted track temperatures above 90°F are expected to accelerate degradation of the alternate tire compound, forcing teams to adapt their pit and tire strategies over 110 laps.