MCLAUGHLIN AND KIRKWOOD LEAD FREE PRACTICE IN ARLINGTON
IndyCar drivers began their first experience on the new Arlington street circuit in Texas with two busy practice sessions. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin set the pace in the first practice on Friday, while Andretti’s Kyle Kirkwood topped the second session on Saturday morning.
The new track is a 2.7-mile street circuit with 14 corners, and drivers quickly discovered it was fast but also tricky due to bumps and low grip.
FP1 – McLaughlin fastest in the first session
Scott McLaughlin was the quickest driver in the opening practice, setting a best lap of 1:34.892 with his Team Penske Chevrolet. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou finished very close behind, only a few hundredths of a second slower.
Will Power placed third for Andretti, followed by Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist from Meyer Shank Racing. Marcus Ericsson completed the top six.
Further down the order, Kyle Kirkwood, usually very strong on street circuits, finished only 15th in the session, while championship leader Josef Newgarden ended up just behind him.
The session ran mostly without major interruptions, although Sting Ray Robb hit the wall early after losing control of his car under braking. Later, Rosenqvist also touched the wall shortly after setting one of his fastest laps, damaging his suspension.
As the track improved during the session, lap times quickly dropped, with McLaughlin eventually setting the fastest lap during the final runs on the softer Firestone tyres.
FP2 – Kirkwood sets the fastest lap
The second practice session took place early Saturday morning in cooler conditions. This time it was Kyle Kirkwood who led the way, setting the fastest lap of the weekend so far with a 1:33.140.
Alex Palou again showed strong pace and finished second, while Marcus Armstrong placed third for Meyer Shank Racing. Will Power and Marcus Ericsson completed the top five, with David Malukas as the fastest Chevrolet driver in sixth.
The session included a few incidents. Scott Dixon spun on track and was hit by Will Power, damaging both cars, although neither driver was injured. Later in the session, Josef Newgarden brought out a red flag after a small crash caused by instability over the bumps.
There were also brief stoppages during the group runs, including one moment when people were spotted crossing the track and another when Armstrong spun and stalled his car.
Despite the interruptions, Kirkwood delivered an impressive final lap that beat Palou’s earlier time and secured the fastest lap of the morning.
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