Scott McLaughlin picked up the final pole position of the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season with a lap at 69.1363 seconds around Laguna Seca during the final round of Saturday qualifying. It is McLaughlin's third pole position of the season, and he bookends the season with pole positions as he qualified first for the St. Petersburg season opener. He is the first driver to bookend the season with pole positions since Will Power did it in 2015. McLaughlin enters this weekend with a 35-race winless streak, the longest of his IndyCar career. It has been nearly 26 years since Team Penske's most recent Laguna Seca victory. Hélio Castroneves won on September 10, 2000. Castroneves led 81 of 83 laps that day from pole position and led a Team Penske 1-2 with Gil de Ferran finishing second.
Álex Palou fell 0.0177 seconds short of another pole position, and the 2026 champion-elect will start on the outside of row one, the third consecutive year Palou starts in the front row at Laguna Seca. It will be the 11th time this season Palou is starting on the front row. Palou has not finished on the podium in the last four races. He has not gone five consecutive races without a podium finish since the final 11 races of his rookie season with Dale Coyne Racing in 2020.
Felix Rosenqvist was 0.0568 seconds off McLaughlin's pole-winning time, and Rosenqvist takes third on the grid. Rosenqvist enters this weekend level with his worst top fifteen finish slump in his IndyCar career. He has not finished better than 17th in the last four races, matching his previous longest streak without a top fifteen result, a five-start streak in 2021. At Laguna Seca, Rosenqvist has two top five finishes and four results outside the top ten, three of which have been finishes of 19th or worse.
Alexander Rossi ends the season with his best starting position of the season on a road or street course in fourth. Rossi was 0.1884 seconds from pole position. His only other top five starting position this season was second for the Indianapolis 500. In four of six Laguna Seca starts, Rossi has finished in the top ten. His best finish at the circuit was third in 2024. That 2024 Laguna Seca race is the last time Rossi started in the top five on a road or street course.
David Malukas starts fifth for the final race of the season. This is the 13th time Malukas has started in the top ten this season, and this is his tenth time starting in the top five. He entered this season having started in the top five in 13 races previously in his career. Malukas has finished outside the top ten in three of four season finales in his IndyCar career. This will be Malukas' 79th career start. Only two drivers had their first career victory come at Laguna Seca, Gil de Ferran in 1995 and Bryan Herta in 1998.
Kyle Kirkwood missed out on the Fast Six by a little over a tenth of a second, but a grid penalty slides Kirkwood up to sixth. Kirkwood enters the finale needing to finish second in the championship to reach the 40 points threshold to qualify for a FIA Super License. With championship finishes of seventh and fourth the last two seasons Kirkwood has 14 points. Second in the championship pays 30 Super License points while third pays 25 Super License points. He could earn one Super License point for completing at least 100 km during a Formula One free practice session. The 40 points must be accumulated over a three-year period.
Marcus Ericsson takes seventh on the grid. It is Ericsson's tenth time starting in the top ten this season. Last year, he had seven starts in the top ten. Ericsson enters this weekend with six consecutive top ten finishes. The Swede has not had seven consecutive top ten results since a nine-race span that began at the 2022 season finale and ran through the first eight races of 2023. In five of his first seven season finales, Ericsson has failed to finish in the top ten. His best finale result was seventh at St. Petersburg in 2020.
(Update 11:55 a.m. ET - Marcus Ericsson will take a six-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change).
Kyffin Simpson will start eighth. It is only the fifth time Simpson has started in the top ten this season. He started outside the top fifteen in ten races this season, including the last three races. Simpson has had an accident in each of his two Laguna Seca starts. In 2024, Simpson was collected when Graham Rahal spun in front of him. Last year, Simpson ran into the back of Felix Rosenqvist at the start and did not complete a lap.
Marcus Armstrong starts ninth for the second consecutive race, and he finished ninth the most recent time IndyCar took the checkered flag in the completion of the first Milwaukee race last Sunday evening. In two of Armstrong's first three Laguna Seca starts, he finished eighth. Those were in 2023 and 2025. In 2024, he started 11th but was pushed off course racing Christian Lundgaard and spun. This left Armstrong two laps down in 22nd.
Louis Foster rounds out the top ten on the grid, the third consecutive race Foster has started in the top ten and the fourth time in five races. In the first 13 races, he had two top ten starts. In Milwaukee, Foster was 11th and tenth. He could have three consecutive top fifteen finishes for only the second time in his career. Last year, he had four consecutive top fifteen results, an 11th at Road America before three consecutive 14th-place finishes.
Christian Lundgaard made the Fast Six, but a six-spot grid penalty due to an engine change drops the Dane from fifth to 11th starting position. This is the 11th time Lundgaard has started outside the top ten this season. In 34 starts with Arrow McLaren, Lundgaard has been the top McLaren finisher 13 times while Patricio O'Ward has been the best McLaren driver 19 times and Nolan Siegel was twice the best McLaren finisher in that span. Lundgaard could become the seventh driver to complete every lap in a season.
Kyffin Simpson will start eighth. It is only the fifth time Simpson has started in the top ten this season. He started outside the top fifteen in ten races this season, including the last three races. Simpson has had an accident in each of his two Laguna Seca starts. In 2024, Simpson was collected when Graham Rahal spun in front of him. Last year, Simpson ran into the back of Felix Rosenqvist at the start and did not complete a lap.
Marcus Armstrong starts ninth for the second consecutive race, and he finished ninth the most recent time IndyCar took the checkered flag in the completion of the first Milwaukee race last Sunday evening. In two of Armstrong's first three Laguna Seca starts, he finished eighth. Those were in 2023 and 2025. In 2024, he started 11th but was pushed off course racing Christian Lundgaard and spun. This left Armstrong two laps down in 22nd.
Louis Foster rounds out the top ten on the grid, the third consecutive race Foster has started in the top ten and the fourth time in five races. In the first 13 races, he had two top ten starts. In Milwaukee, Foster was 11th and tenth. He could have three consecutive top fifteen finishes for only the second time in his career. Last year, he had four consecutive top fifteen results, an 11th at Road America before three consecutive 14th-place finishes.
Christian Lundgaard made the Fast Six, but a six-spot grid penalty due to an engine change drops the Dane from fifth to 11th starting position. This is the 11th time Lundgaard has started outside the top ten this season. In 34 starts with Arrow McLaren, Lundgaard has been the top McLaren finisher 13 times while Patricio O'Ward has been the best McLaren driver 19 times and Nolan Siegel was twice the best McLaren finisher in that span. Lundgaard could become the seventh driver to complete every lap in a season.
Patricio O'Ward did not make it out of the first round of qualifying, but a grid penalty allows O'Ward to start 12th next to his Arrow McLaren teammate Lundgaard. O'Ward was 0.0090 seconds from advancing to round two. O'Ward is attempting to become the first driver to end a season with three consecutive victories since Jimmy Bryan did it in 1955. It would be the 59th time in IndyCar history a driver has won at least three consecutive races.
Will Power missed advancing from group two by 0.0575 seconds, and Power occupies 13th on the grid, the same grid spot he occupied for the season opener at St. Petersburg. In six Laguna Seca starts, Power has two podium finishes, three top five finishes and five top ten finishes. Power has finished outside the top twenty in the last two season finales. He has six consecutive top ten finishes in season finales held in California.
Mick Schumacher starts to Power's outside on row seven, the fourth time in the last five races Schumacher starts in the top fifteen. He had two starts in the top fifteen through the first 13 races. In the last three races, Schumacher has had three consecutive top fifteen finishes. In the first 14 races of the season, he had only one top fifteen result. Schumacher enters the finale 13 points behind Dennis Hauger for rookie of the year. When they take the green flag, Schumacher will make up ten points to the Norwegian based on grid position alone.
Nolan Siegel was only 0.0579 seconds from making the second round of qualifying, and the California-native starts 15th. This will be Siegel's 46th career start. It has been a career-year for Siegel as he has three top ten finishes, a personal best, and he enters the weekend 18th in the championship, four positions better than where he finished last year. Mathematically, Siegel could finish as high as 14th in the championship.
Scott Dixon's final start with Chip Ganassi Racing is from 16th position. Dixon hopes to avoid his first winless season since 2005. During that 2005 season, Dixon had two top five finishes and ten top ten finishes in 15 starts, including four consecutive top ten results to close out the season. He has three season finale victories in his career. He could join Johnnie Parsons, A.J. Foyt and Tom Sneva as the only drivers with four finale victories since 1946.
Christian Rasmussen will start on row nine for the third consecutive race, as the Dane claims 17th. It is the 11th time Rasmussen has started outside the top fifteen, and ten of those have been starting between 16th and 19th. At Milwaukee, Rasmussen finished fifth and eighth. It is the second time in his IndyCar career he has consecutive top ten finishes. The other was the 2025 Iowa doubleheader when he was sixth and eighth in the two Iowa races.
Caio Collet made the second round, but a six-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change relegates Collet from 12th starting position to 18th. This was the sixth time the Brazilian has made it out of the first round of qualifying this season. It is the second time he has taken a grid penalty after advancing to round two. His qualifying time was disallowed at the Indianapolis 500 as his car failed inspection. Last year, he swept the Indy Lights doubleheader at Laguna Seca.
Rinus VeeKay closes the season with four consecutive starts outside the top ten, as VeeKay rolls off from 19th. He had started in the top ten in the four races prior to this slump. In five Laguna Seca starts, VeeKay's best finish is 14th with an average finish of 19.8. The Dutchman has failed to crack the top twenty in the last two Monterey visits.
Josef Newgarden rounds out the top twenty, the fifth time Newgarden has started 20th or worse this season. This start marks the 250th of Josef Newgarden's career, the 19th driver to reach the milestone in IndyCar history. Only once has a driver won in their 250th start. That would be A.J. Foyt, whose 250th start was the 1977 season opener from Ontario Motor Speedway. Foyt won ahead of Al Unser. It was Foyt's 57th career victory.
Santino Ferrucci ends the season with four consecutive starts outside the top twenty with Ferrucci starting 21st in the finale. It is the ninth time he has started outside the top twenty in 2026, and the eight of those starts were from row 11. Ferrucci has not cracked the top ten in the last three races. His best Laguna Seca finish was ninth in 2024, but he has finished 17th or worse in his other three starts at the circuit.
Graham Rahal makes it an all-American row 11, and this is his worst starting position on a road or street course since he was 24th at Arlington in March. For the second time this season, Rahal has finished outside the top twenty in consecutive races. He is looking to avoid three consecutive finishes outside the top twenty for the first time since Edmonton, Mid-Ohio and Loudon in 2011.
Romain Grosjean leads an all-Dale Coyne Racing row 12. Laguna Seca is one of four circuits where Grosjean has multiple top five finishes. He was third at Laguna Seca in 2021 and fourth in 2024. He has two top five finishes on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Long Beach and Road America. Dale Coyne Racing has failed to produce a top twenty finisher in the last two Laguna Seca races and it has not had a top ten finisher in the last four Laguna Seca races.
Dennis Hauger will be to Grosjean's outside in 24th starting position. This is the fourth time both Coyne drivers start outside the top twenty this season, but the first three were on ovals. Hauger could become the second consecutive Indy Lights champion to win IndyCar Rookie of the Year in the following year. There has never been an instance where reigning Indy Lights champions have won IndyCar Rookie of the Year in consecutive seasons.
Sting Ray Robb starts last for the fourth time this season. It is the fourth consecutive race Robb has started outside the top twenty, his 13th time this season he has started outside the top twenty and the 56th time in his career starting 21st or worse. This will be Robb's 69th career start. He has made the fourth-most starts in IndyCar history without a top five five. Only Hiro Matsushita (117), Randy Lewis (81) and Jerry Karl (73) have made more.
Fox's coverage of the Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey begins at 2:30 p.m. ET with green flag scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET. The race is scheduled for 95 laps.
Will Power missed advancing from group two by 0.0575 seconds, and Power occupies 13th on the grid, the same grid spot he occupied for the season opener at St. Petersburg. In six Laguna Seca starts, Power has two podium finishes, three top five finishes and five top ten finishes. Power has finished outside the top twenty in the last two season finales. He has six consecutive top ten finishes in season finales held in California.
Mick Schumacher starts to Power's outside on row seven, the fourth time in the last five races Schumacher starts in the top fifteen. He had two starts in the top fifteen through the first 13 races. In the last three races, Schumacher has had three consecutive top fifteen finishes. In the first 14 races of the season, he had only one top fifteen result. Schumacher enters the finale 13 points behind Dennis Hauger for rookie of the year. When they take the green flag, Schumacher will make up ten points to the Norwegian based on grid position alone.
Nolan Siegel was only 0.0579 seconds from making the second round of qualifying, and the California-native starts 15th. This will be Siegel's 46th career start. It has been a career-year for Siegel as he has three top ten finishes, a personal best, and he enters the weekend 18th in the championship, four positions better than where he finished last year. Mathematically, Siegel could finish as high as 14th in the championship.
Scott Dixon's final start with Chip Ganassi Racing is from 16th position. Dixon hopes to avoid his first winless season since 2005. During that 2005 season, Dixon had two top five finishes and ten top ten finishes in 15 starts, including four consecutive top ten results to close out the season. He has three season finale victories in his career. He could join Johnnie Parsons, A.J. Foyt and Tom Sneva as the only drivers with four finale victories since 1946.
Christian Rasmussen will start on row nine for the third consecutive race, as the Dane claims 17th. It is the 11th time Rasmussen has started outside the top fifteen, and ten of those have been starting between 16th and 19th. At Milwaukee, Rasmussen finished fifth and eighth. It is the second time in his IndyCar career he has consecutive top ten finishes. The other was the 2025 Iowa doubleheader when he was sixth and eighth in the two Iowa races.
Caio Collet made the second round, but a six-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change relegates Collet from 12th starting position to 18th. This was the sixth time the Brazilian has made it out of the first round of qualifying this season. It is the second time he has taken a grid penalty after advancing to round two. His qualifying time was disallowed at the Indianapolis 500 as his car failed inspection. Last year, he swept the Indy Lights doubleheader at Laguna Seca.
Rinus VeeKay closes the season with four consecutive starts outside the top ten, as VeeKay rolls off from 19th. He had started in the top ten in the four races prior to this slump. In five Laguna Seca starts, VeeKay's best finish is 14th with an average finish of 19.8. The Dutchman has failed to crack the top twenty in the last two Monterey visits.
Josef Newgarden rounds out the top twenty, the fifth time Newgarden has started 20th or worse this season. This start marks the 250th of Josef Newgarden's career, the 19th driver to reach the milestone in IndyCar history. Only once has a driver won in their 250th start. That would be A.J. Foyt, whose 250th start was the 1977 season opener from Ontario Motor Speedway. Foyt won ahead of Al Unser. It was Foyt's 57th career victory.
Santino Ferrucci ends the season with four consecutive starts outside the top twenty with Ferrucci starting 21st in the finale. It is the ninth time he has started outside the top twenty in 2026, and the eight of those starts were from row 11. Ferrucci has not cracked the top ten in the last three races. His best Laguna Seca finish was ninth in 2024, but he has finished 17th or worse in his other three starts at the circuit.
Graham Rahal makes it an all-American row 11, and this is his worst starting position on a road or street course since he was 24th at Arlington in March. For the second time this season, Rahal has finished outside the top twenty in consecutive races. He is looking to avoid three consecutive finishes outside the top twenty for the first time since Edmonton, Mid-Ohio and Loudon in 2011.
Romain Grosjean leads an all-Dale Coyne Racing row 12. Laguna Seca is one of four circuits where Grosjean has multiple top five finishes. He was third at Laguna Seca in 2021 and fourth in 2024. He has two top five finishes on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Long Beach and Road America. Dale Coyne Racing has failed to produce a top twenty finisher in the last two Laguna Seca races and it has not had a top ten finisher in the last four Laguna Seca races.
Dennis Hauger will be to Grosjean's outside in 24th starting position. This is the fourth time both Coyne drivers start outside the top twenty this season, but the first three were on ovals. Hauger could become the second consecutive Indy Lights champion to win IndyCar Rookie of the Year in the following year. There has never been an instance where reigning Indy Lights champions have won IndyCar Rookie of the Year in consecutive seasons.
Sting Ray Robb starts last for the fourth time this season. It is the fourth consecutive race Robb has started outside the top twenty, his 13th time this season he has started outside the top twenty and the 56th time in his career starting 21st or worse. This will be Robb's 69th career start. He has made the fourth-most starts in IndyCar history without a top five five. Only Hiro Matsushita (117), Randy Lewis (81) and Jerry Karl (73) have made more.
Fox's coverage of the Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey begins at 2:30 p.m. ET with green flag scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET. The race is scheduled for 95 laps.
