Pato O’Ward topped the charts in Friday evening’s final practice session for the NTT IndyCar Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR), setting the pace with a 174.708 mph average in his No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. O’Ward’s performance edged out Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson, who settled for second-fastest with a 174.191 mph lap in the No. 28 Honda.
Ericsson’s teammate Colton Herta bounced back from a challenging day that included a qualifying crash and a black flag during the High-Line session. Herta managed to secure the third-fastest time in the repaired No. 26 Honda, clocking in at 173.698 mph. This just kept him ahead of Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, who was fourth-fastest at 173.685 mph. Kyle Kirkwood continued to represent Andretti strongly by placing fifth with a best lap of 173.659 mph.
For most drivers, the session was about getting comfortable with the high line, which had proven to offer more grip than expected. The teams also focused on understanding how the evening’s conditions would translate to the race, which will start earlier in the day.
The session was particularly crucial for teams and drivers needing to recover from earlier setbacks. Dale Coyne Racing, which struggled during qualifying with both cars completing zero laps, had a productive evening. Jack Harvey managed 64 laps to finish 22nd fastest despite earlier issues with a software glitch in his No. 18 Honda’s hybrid system. Katherine Legge, who was off the pace in first practice and didn’t qualify, covered 59 laps and ended the session in 25th place.
The practice wasn’t without its incidents. Arrow McLaren’s Nolan Siegel experienced a right-front tire failure but managed to safely return to the pits, holding on to finish ninth-fastest. Later, Conor Daly caught the wall at Turn 2 but avoided significant damage, returning to the pits under his own power. The session also saw a brief caution for a track inspection with 17 minutes remaining.
As the teams prepare for tomorrow’s race, O’Ward’s strong performance in final practice positions him as a key contender at WWTR.
Photo from Pato O’Ward Instagram
