Mixed results in qualifying for Penske's title contenders

It wasn't exactly a disaster for Team Penske's Will Power and Simon Pagenaud Saturday afternoon in Watkins Glen, but few would have predicted half of the Captain's championship contenders would struggle in qualifying.

Known for their supreme performances on high-speed road courses, Power's eighth-place performance and Pagenaud's run to a lowly 12th certainly defied conventional wisdom of where they were expected to start.

"I got a little loose out there in some spots and I think it affected my confidence in some others on if it would stick or not," Power said. "The Verizon Chevrolet really wasn't as comfortable for me today as yesterday. I don't know if it's the wind. I don't feel like the track changed at all. I can't really pinpoint it right now. I do know that we'll all go to work and take a look at everything to get us in a good place for the race tomorrow."

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Pagenaud was just as mystified as Power, and with rain in the forecast for Sunday, he's hoping to capitalize on adverse conditions to move forward.

"It's a little disappointing for sure not to advance to the Firestone Fast Six," he said. "We've been quick here in the Menards Chevrolet all weekend and I'm not sure exactly why, but we just couldn't find that same speed in second-round qualifying. Starting 12th, I think we'll have the opportunity to move up quickly tomorrow, and with weather as a factor, you never know what can happen. We'll be working hard to get the best result we can, for sure."

Penske's Josef Newgarden, who will start third, holds the championship lead entering the IndyCar Grand Prix at The Glen. Teammate Helio Castroneves, who will start sixth, is third in the standings behind Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon and directly ahead of Pagenaud and Power.

On paper, having all three Penske teammates behind Newgarden would appear to be an advantage, but with Dixon starting second, the Tennessean says he expects to be attacked from all directions regardless of where his title rivals qualified.

"I'd like to think we're in a good position, but our guys are not too far behind us," he added. "We're all kind of clustered in there. Have no idea how it's going to shake out. People have been asking me about the points lead. I don't think it's that big of a lead. I think 31 points [over Dixon] is very easy to push past. If I have a bad race tomorrow and Scott wins, he'd come out of here with the points lead."

With double points offered the season finale in Sonoma, Newgarden seems more concerned about what's coming on Sept. 17 than whatever takes place at Watkins Glen.

"Tomorrow everyone has to try to maximize what they got to do," he said. "We're going to try to do that as a team. I still think it's going to come down to Sonoma. That's where it's really going to matter. That's where we're going to have to have a very strong race."