Flu-stricken Marcus Armstrong leads a stunning Meyer Shank 1-2 at Road America
It is absolutely wild what a machine can do when the driver is essentially running on fumes. Marcus Armstrong, feeling as sick as a dog and barely functioning after two hours of sleep, completely dominated the opening practice at Road America. He put the No. 66 Honda at the top of the charts with a blistering 1:44.2714, proving that sometimes raw pace doesn't care about a fever.
Even more impressive was the squad performance, with 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist trailing him closely to lock out the top two spots for Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian. It is the kind of clinical, efficient display that makes you take notice. The rest of the field was tight, with series leader Alex Palou finishing third in his Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, just ahead of the Arrow McLaren pair of Pato O’Ward and Nolan Siegel.
While the front of the pack remained composed, the demanding nature of this 4.014-mile circuit claimed a victim when Sting Ray Robb spun his Juncos Hollinger – Goodheart Chevrolet at Turn 14. He emerged unhurt, but the damage to his suspension and wing served as a sharp reminder that this track doesn't forgive mistakes. With rookies like Caio Collet and Mick Schumacher putting in strong top-ten shifts, the stage is set for a proper scrap this weekend.
