After the first day of qualifying for the 2024 Indianapolis 500, it became clear that Team Penske would likely win the pole position. However, no one could have expected a new qualifying record. [autotag]Scott McLaughlin[/autotag] won the pole for the 2024 Indianapolis 500, setting a new record average with a 234.220 miles per hour run on Sunday evening.
It was a shocking run by McLaughlin, who drove the yellow No. 3 car into the pole position by a landslide. Following his final qualifying attempt, McLaughlin talked about winning the pole for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
“The car has been good,” McLaughlin said. “I thought the potential was there, even yesterday. It was just about getting the right balance. I knew my engineer would nail it, and they did, and when first number came up, I just had to hold on. Got a little bit loose at the end but the Pennzoil Chevy held on.”
THE FULL QUALIFYING RUN!
SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN PUTS IT ON POLE FOR THE #INDY500. pic.twitter.com/jxEBTQIW9h
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 19, 2024
“Super proud to put the Yellow Submarine back on the pole and sweep for Team Penske. What a great spot for the 108th Running [of the Indianapolis 500]. I’m really proud. I think it’s the first Team Penske clean sweep of the front row since ’88. In this day and age, that’s a proud moment.”
Team Penske has been blazing fast since unloading at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and nothing suggests it will go away anytime soon. McLaughlin, Will Power, and Josef Newgarden have locked out the front row, and it could be their race to lose next Sunday. However, McLaughlin sits at the top of the trio, with his first Indianapolis 500 pole position.
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