First-time polesitter Benjamin Pedersen hit the gas not long after exiting Turn 12 and then moved his Global Racing Group with HMD car across on fellow front row starter and teammate Danial Frost of HMD with Dale Coyne Racing on his left, before moving right to deter a challenge from second-row starter Christian Rasmussen of Andretti Autosport. Matt Brabham, who had beaten championship leader Linus Lundqvist at the drop of the green also looked at getting around teammate Rasmussen, but was deterred.
Having had a relatively clean Turn 1, series debutant Flinn Lazier (son of 1996 Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier) collided with Christian Bogle further around the lap and out came the full course caution.
