Josef Newgarden, driving for Team Penske, expressed satisfaction after qualifying fourth in the highly competitive Fast Six session ahead of today’s race at Laguna Seca. Despite earlier difficulties on Friday, where he ended up in the gravel at the top of the Corkscrew corner following a spin, Newgarden’s qualifying effort marked a notable improvement for the team.
Initially unsure about the car’s setup, Newgarden credited the Penske crew for their overnight adjustments, which helped elevate his car’s performance for Saturday’s qualifying rounds. This progress culminated in a strong top-six position, boosting both driver and team morale.
Team’s tire strategy and pace challenges in Fast Six session
During the Fast Six, Newgarden’s team opted to use their only set of new red soft compound tires in his first run. However, he admitted the pace wasn’t sufficient to match the leaders. Setting a lap time of 1:09.6695, he lagged more than a second behind pole-sitter Palou, who posted a 1:08.3413, and was eight-tenths slower than third-place qualifier Colton Herta.
Although Newgarden struggled to close the gap with the fastest drivers, he emphasized the value of reaching the Fast Six despite sacrificing tire resources.
That was a big step forward from the team
, Newgarden said.
They were here working all night trying to give us something different. We learned a lot just over the day so [I’m] really proud of our team.
We sacrificed our Reds in that first run there so we just weren’t quick enough. We gave that up for the fast six here but to get to the fast six was a big gain for all of us.
Newgarden’s recent qualifying record and prospects for the race
This qualifying session marked Newgarden’s sixth appearance in the Fast Six out of fourteen attempts this season. His best qualifying result came earlier this year with a pole position at his favored Iowa Speedway for the Synk 275 event. On average, his qualifying position has hovered around 12th place, highlighting the significance of this top-four grid spot at Laguna Seca.
With this renewed momentum, Newgarden and Team Penske appear poised to mount a strong challenge in today’s race, leveraging the recent setup improvements and strategic gains made during qualifying.
