IndyCar Milwaukee: McLaughlin and Newgarden capture pole each for double-header

Team Penske drivers Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden took a pole and second each in qualifying for the IndyCar double-header weekend at Milwaukee.

The format saw each driver receive two single-car laps, with the first setting their position for the opening race on Saturday night and the second determining their spot for Sunday’s event - the qualification order the reverse of the championship standings.

Newgarden was the first of the Penske cars to hit the track and originally set the mark for both races after setting a first lap of 161.640 mph and a second at 160.983 mph. He remained there until McLaughlin surged to a 162.341 mph on lap one.

But McLaughlin's pace fell off on the second lap to 160.912 mph, narrowly missing out on a double pole.

“The car has been great at every oval we’ve gone to this season," said the New Zealander. "To pick up another pole here is fantastic. I shipped it pretty hard into (Turns) 3 and 4 on the second lap - we might’ve been able to double it up.”

Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske Chevrolet

Photo by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Images

For Newgarden, who will serve a nine-position starting grid penalty for the first race after an unapproved engine change ahead of the weekend, the pole for race two is his second of the year.

“We went aggressive,” said the two-time Indianapolis 500 champion. 

“We’ve been on the other end of this when we weren’t aggressive enough in qualifying and it really bit us, so probably overcooked it slightly there, but the car was still good.

"When you go back, you’re going to look at this and quarterback it from the couch and I knew what we could do differently. But this is a great run for the team to lock out the front row; both days are going to be really good for us.”

Josef Newgarden, Team Penske Chevrolet

Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images

Meyer Shank Racing’s David Malukas qualified third for the first race, ahead of Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi and Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist, all of whom will move up a spot courtesy of Newgarden's penalty.

Will Power, the third member of the Team Penske trio who is currently second in the championship fight behind leader Alex Palou, ended up sixth. Palou was only able to push his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to 13th for the first race. 

Marcus Armstrong put the No. 11 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda third on the grid for Race 2, ahead of Power and Lundqvist. Palou managed to qualify 10th for the second race.