Kyle Kirkwood secured his first-ever oval pole at the Nashville Superspeedway, overshadowing his achievement was the intensifying championship battle between Alex Palou and Will Power. Kirkwood’s two-lap run at an average speed of 201.520 MPH was enough to edge out Penske’s Josef Newgarden, placing him in a prime position for Sunday’s race. But all eyes were on Palou, whose 33-point championship lead is under serious threat.
While Power qualified in a strong fourth position, Palou faced a devastating setback. Struggling in qualifying, Palou managed only 15th fastest but was further demoted to 24th due to an engine penalty. The championship leader now has an uphill battle to secure his third IndyCar title, needing to finish ninth or better to guarantee the crown.
Power, meanwhile, fell short of taking pole, which would have granted him a crucial bonus point in the title fight. Despite his fourth-place start, he remains confident: “You know how these things roll. If not, try again next year,” Power said, remaining optimistic about his title chances.
McLaughlin, the third driver in the title fight, also suffered an engine penalty, pushing him back to 18th on the grid. With both Power and McLaughlin starting ahead of Palou, Sunday’s race promises a high-stakes battle in the middle of the pack.
Among other notable qualifiers, Felix Rosenqvist secured third, Santino Ferrucci rounded out the top five, and Conor Daly achieved an impressive seventh place. Meanwhile, Alexander Rossi and Nolan Siegel faced difficulties, with Siegel missing qualifying altogether due to a practice crash.
With Kirkwood on pole and Palou facing a tough climb from 24th, the final race of the season is set for a thrilling showdown.
