David Malukas was within the headlines earlier this week when he introduced his transfer to A.J. Foyt Racing for subsequent 12 months, and he claimed the highlight once more at World Extensive Expertise Raceway on Friday by placing the No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda on the high of the occasions within the opening NTT IndyCar Sequence apply session.
Malukas’s better of 178.830mph got here with just below 10 minutes of the hour-long session remaining, leaving Andretti International’s Colton Herta as better of the remaining with a 178.411mph effort within the No. 26 Honda.
What was shaping as much as be a really Honda-heavy high 5 was countered by a late 117.940mph from Scott McLaughlin within the No. 3 Staff Penske Chevrolet that was adequate for third-fastest, placing him simply forward of teammate Will Energy within the No. 12.
Present factors chief Alex Palou rounded out the highest 5 within the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda — an encouraging signal for the Spaniard, who can have some additional work to do in tomorrow’s race after being one in all 4 drivers issued with a nine-place grid penalty for unapproved engine modifications.
Behind him, Romain Grosjean bought Juncos Hollinger Racing’s weekend off to a stable begin by ending sixth quickest within the No. 77 Chevrolet, and new teammate Conor Daly additionally spent a very good a part of the session within the high 10 earlier than dropping again to twelfth within the latter levels.
Meyer Shank’s Felix Rosenqvist — one other driver with a grid penalty this weekend – was seventh quickest forward of Marcus Ericsson (No. 28 Andretti International Honda). Nolan Siegel, who has the skilled Brian Campe calling technique this weekend after the sudden departure of engineer Robert Gue, completed up ninth quickest within the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, leaving the No. 28 Honda of Andretti International’s Kyle Kirkwood to finish the highest 10.
A largely uneventful session was punctuated by only one warning, brought on by Ganassi’s Linus Lundqvist stopping on the again straightaway with a hybrid downside. Meawhile, A.J. Foyt Racing pushed Sting Ray Robb’s automotive again behind the wall after its first set up lap, however he returned to finish a productive 42 laps.
UP NEXT: Qualifying, 4:20pm ET.
