Linus Lundqvist of HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing converted his pole into an early lead as a four-wide battle for second into Turn 1 filtered down to two, the Andretti Autosport pair of Matt Brabham and Christian Rasmussen, who battled through Turns 2 and 3 and into 7. Then Rasmussen dropped a wheel in the dirt as they ran alongside each other, and fell back.
He soon came under pressure from Danial Frost, Race 1 winner in another HMD / Coyne car, because Hunter McElrea had been the big loser on the opening lap, starting on the front row but winding up fifth in another Andretti machine. Behind him ran the Force Indy machine of Trans-Am legend Ernie Francis Jr, who had taken advantage of hesitations and clashes in the midfield to rise from 10th on the grid to sixth.
