Pato O’Ward finds his rhythm at Road America
Pato O’Ward clearly needed a spark, and he found it at Road America. He put the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet on top of the practice timesheets with a blistering lap of 1 minute, 44.0029 seconds. It is a vital moment for him, as he looks to turn around a season where a fourth-place finish remains his absolute best performance.
He wasn't the only one pushing the limits. Despite battling the flu, Marcus Armstrong took second in his No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Honda, while Scott McLaughlin secured third in the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet. Even more incredible is the grit shown by AJ Foyt Racing rookie Caio Collet; he managed to grab fifth place in the No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet, all while recovering from fractured ribs sustained at the Indianapolis 500.
Meanwhile, championship leader Alex Palou settled for sixth in his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. The reigning champion is aiming for a record-setting fourth win at this demanding 4.014-mile circuit, but for today, the spotlight belongs to O’Ward and his resurgence. Qualifying is up next, and the field is tighter than ever.
