McLaughlin and Newgarden had been 15th and 14th respectively after their late first qualifying runs on Saturday, held in the heat of the day, and both pulled their times to try and improve and join teammate Will Power in the Top 12 segment. However in dense, muggy air that followed a rainstorm, their cars had too much drag. McLaughlin’s reset average was 1.4mph slower than his first run and he tumbled to 26th.
Newgarden was next out, but rain and nearby lightning arrived just before he took the green flag for his new four-lap run, so after the caution was thrown, the relieved two-time IndyCar champion was allowed to slot back into 14th.
