PORTLAND, Ore. – Team Penske’s Will Power, who leads the NTT IndyCar Series championship by just three points, was the fastest driver in Saturday morning’s practice session for the Grand Prix of Portland.
Power’s No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet lapped the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course in 58.3946. That was faster than teammate Josef Newgarden, who trails Power by three points, at 56.4083 in the No. 2 Chevrolet.
“I think there is still more left in the car,” Power said. “It’s so hard to get a lap and with people backing up to get a rhythm, but yest, I think we have more in this car.
“You have to run tight but still be on the limit. You don’t want to overstep it.”
Team Penske swept the top three positions with New Zealand’s Scott McLaughlin’s No. 3 Freightliner Chevrolet racing around the course in 58.4910.
Colton Herta’s Honda was fourth at 58.7201 followed by rookie Christian Lundgaard’s Honda at 58.7463.
Scott Dixon is third in the standings, just 14 points out of first. He was sixth fastest at 58.7696 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Dixon went sideways in turn one and drove through the barriers without making contact with two minutes left in the session. It went through the runoff area that IndyCar modified on Friday.
Qualifications for Sunday’s race is at 3:05 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday.