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Kyle Kirkwood from Andretti Global secured his second career IndyCar oval pole at the Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday afternoon, ahead of the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix. This is the same track where Kirkwood earned his first oval pole position.

Kirkwood was the only competitor to surpass the 197 MPH average mark during qualifying, completing his first fast lap around the 1.33-mile oval at 197.382 MPH, narrowly ahead of Josef Newgarden’s 196.970 MPH.

"I just held it fast," Kirkwood was heard telling his crew after learning that his lap time, set as the second-to-last driver to qualify, remained unbeaten even by the anticipated challenge from Alex Palou.

Speaking to Fox Sports’ Georgia Henneberry, Kirkwood said, "Honestly, it’s the car that Andretti provides me here. We were quick in practice and have been strong at this circuit for the past couple of years. Thank you to the team. You do the same thing as everyone else—just keep it flat and hope your car’s quick. They’ve built a fantastic machine around me."

Kirkwood will be aiming for his second career oval victory, following his triumph at WWT Raceway near St. Louis last June. A win here would also mark his second victory of the current season, having already claimed the top spot in the inaugural Streets of Arlington Grand Prix.

Josef Newgarden recorded a two-lap average speed of 196.642 MPH, which initially seemed sufficient to hold off the title contenders. He was 0.555 seconds ahead of teammate Scott McLaughlin, who had taken the provisional pole before Newgarden’s run.

Newgarden has endured a challenging period in recent weeks, struggling with discomfort in his left foot after sustaining an injury at this year’s Indianapolis 500. The last three races—one street circuit and two permanent road courses—required him to brake using his left foot, further aggravating the issue.

This weekend, racing on his home track, the Team Penske driver finally gets some relief, as the 1.33-mile oval allows him to rest his left foot while coasting through the turns.

Throughout this difficult three-race stretch, Newgarden remained committed to staying in the cockpit, even though relief drivers like Penske Porsche’s Felipe Nasr were on standby during events such as the Detroit Grand Prix. Newgarden believes there’s no substitute for actual racing experience, and heading into a physically demanding race in Nashville, he’s glad he didn’t miss the opportunity to maintain his rhythm despite the injury.

"I think the best training is being in the car. That mid-Ohio race offers the ideal training environment. Many drivers use different methods to stay fit, but for me, being behind the wheel is the best preparation. That’s why I’ve tried to keep driving. Of course, you can also go for a run or sit in a sauna, as we’ve discussed," Newgarden explained.

Scott McLaughlin and Alex Palou will line up on the second row, with Scott Dixon following his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate in fifth position. They’ll be joined by Ed Carpenter Racing’s Alexander Rossi and Christian Rasmussen.

Marcus Armstrong emerged as the top qualifier for Meyer Shank Racing, ahead of Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay and Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson, who completed the top ten.

Arrow McLaren, participating in their first race since announcing major signings of Scott Dixon and reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Felix Rosenqvist, endured one of their weakest qualifying outings of the season. Their only confirmed driver for 2027, Pato O’Ward, qualified in 12th place, just ahead of Nolan Siegel in 13th, while Christian Lundgaard qualified 19th.

Following his practice crash, Team Penske’s David Malukas did not take part in qualifying as he had not been cleared medically, and his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet was still undergoing repairs.

Conor Daly was considered as a potential replacement for Malukas in qualifying, but with a nine-place grid penalty already assigned to the team, the session would have served only as a systems check for the car and for Daly. If Daly had taken the wheel, he would have been Penske’s only available option for the weekend, irrespective of Malukas’ medical clearance.

The decision on whether Malukas, who continues to recover from undisclosed injuries sustained during the practice crash, will participate has now been delayed until the high-line practice session scheduled for later in the evening.