Pato O’Ward delivered a searing flyer during the final moments of qualifying to snatch the coveted IndyCar Nashville pole from David Malukas.
The qualifying session for the 2025 season finale at Nashville Superspeedway was a spectacular display of speed, skill, and drama as drivers battled for the coveted pole position on Saturday.
The 1.33-mile oval circuit known for its challenging bumps especially through turns 3 and 4, upset the running for several drivers but there were no crashes or major issues.
Pato O’Ward had already signaled his intent by leading the practice session earlier in the day, showcasing a superbly set-up car and confidence behind the wheel.
O’Ward maintained perfect form through qualifying and managed to put together two flawless laps in his No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, setting a two-lap average speed of 202.621 mph with a combined lap time of 47.2607 seconds to claim the NTT P1 Award.
Remarkably, this was the first time the nine-time IndyCar winner qualified on pole position on an oval, marking a potentially game-changing achievement ahead of the season’s final battle.
“The car was great, felt really comfortable in practice and didn’t give me any scares or anything,” O’Ward said after qualifying. “I was happy with that. I’ve never won a race from pole. That’s on my to-do list this weekend.”
Meanwhile, David Malukas finished a close second after delivering a powerful lap in the No. 4 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet with an average speed of 201.922 mph.
Malukas had taken provisional pole earlier on in qualifying but was ultimately denied the top spot by O’Ward during the closing moments.
Despite his disappointment at losing the IndyCar Nashville pole position, the 23-year old driver praised his team and the car, acknowledging the fine margins that separated the two on the tricky concrete oval.
“Definitely disappointed,” Malukas admitted. “The guys just did a fantastic job. When it comes to Nashville superspeedway, everybody is generally pretty much flat, right? It comes down to the guys in setup, and these guys just built a beautiful car.’
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O’Ward’s teammate Christian Lundgaard captured third with an average speed of 201.713 mph, just fractions behind Malukas.
Further down the grid, recently crowned 2025 IndyCar champion Alex Palou secured a solid fourth-place with a two-lap average speed of 201.603 mph. He was closely trailed by his Chip Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon who qualified fifth.
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden had a competitive qualifying run as well, finishing in sixth place while his teammate Scott McLaughlin qualified in eighth.
Nolan Siegel split the duo after initially qualifying in seventh for Arrow McLaren but received a nine-place grid penalty for an unscheduled engine change, dropping all the way down to 16th.
Callum Ilott, Kyffin Simpson, Felix Rosenqvist and Will Power rounded out the top twelve qualifiers, with respective fast laps just around the 200 mph mark.
Notably, Ilott would be subject to a nine-place grid penalty for unapproved engine changes, which would impact his starting position despite a strong qualifying showing.
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