A 24-year-old Swedish native, Lundqvist transferred into the 20-lap, two-segment main event that had a $500,000 prize on the line after a straightforward drive – starting and finishing fourth – in the second heat race.
Lundqvist, the 2022 Indy NXT champion, out-lasted fellow first year drivers such as Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) team-mate Kyffin Simpson, 2023 Indy NXT titlist Christian Rasmussen (Ed Carpenter Racing) and current Indy NXT full-timer Nolan Siegel, who was making his first-ever appearance in an IndyCar event. Additionally, though, he was among the three – of five – CGR drivers to transfer into the main event, with the noticeable omission being six-time series champion Scott Dixon. Colin Braun (Dale Coyne Racing) and Tom Blomqvist (Meyer Shank Racing) were also among the list of rookies.
