IndyCar's next generation shines in Mid-Ohio qualifying

IndyCar’s next-generation drivers showed up and showed out during qualifying for Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. The Firestone Fast Six featured drivers with an average age of 22.8 years old, led by the group’s elder statesman, Alex Palou (28), who delivered his third pole of the season.

The Spaniard is three years older than the other members of the Fast Six, which had Christian Lundgaard (23), Kyffin Simpson (20), Nolan Siegel (20), Colton Herta (25), and Louis Foster (21) making statements with their speed.

It was a career day for Simpson and Siegel who earned their best starting positions in the series to form an all-20-year-old second row and Foster, the next-youngest driver, was on pole at the last race in Road America and has become a fixture in the Firestone Fast 12 sessions during his rookie campaign.

Altogether, Mid-Ohio’s Fast Six had the look of IndyCar’s future taking place in the present.

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“It was incredible,” said Chip Ganassi Racing’s Simpson. “All the glory to God. That was a tough qualifying, and it was very close, especially in those first couple segments. Just barely slipping through in sixth place in both of them was a little nerve wracking. And then being P3 in that session, I was very surprised, but very happily surprised. We felt good, and now we can just focus on the race and doing our best there.”

Like Simpson being second to teammate Palou, Siegel was second to Arrow McLaren teammate Lundgaard, which isn’t a common occurrence with team veteran Pato O’Ward in the mix. O’Ward, who struggled to find pace, qualified 15th.

“Really happy to be starting fourth; best IndyCar starting position, and nice to be in the Fast Six,” Siegel said. “We've had a rough few weekends, and things are really turning around. The group's doing a great job.”

Coming off his first career pole, Foster couldn’t help but see the downside of following it up with starting sixth, but it gave hope to his Ohio-born team, which saw fellow Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing drivers Graham Rahal and Devlin DeFrancesco complete qualifying in 20th and 23rd, respectively.

“We managed to qualify sixth, which is good, but it was a little disappointing to not have new tires there at the end because I definitely felt like we could have had the pace for pole, so it’s a little bittersweet,” he said.“If it’s bittersweet to be P6 then it’s a good sign. Massive thank you to RLL for the support this weekend. We’re starting from the third row, which is a good place to start at Mid-Ohio.”