Overview
- David Malukas took pole with Josef Newgarden second, with Graham Rahal third and rookie Mick Schumacher fourth to complete an RLL second‑row sweep.
- Newgarden called Schumacher's effort "shockingly good" and noted the rookie was first on track and highly consistent across both laps.
- Graham Rahal praised Schumacher's "first‑class" execution and footwork, describing the run as a standout in his teammate's first oval qualifying.
- RLL's short‑oval form showed a clear step forward, with two cars in the top four for the first time on a short oval in roughly two decades according to Motorsport.com.
- Reporters cautioned that qualifying pace must translate over 250 laps in traffic on Saturday, a tougher test coming one week after Schumacher's first‑lap exit at St. Petersburg.