Oliver Askew led an Andretti Autosport front-row lockout in qualifying for Indy Lights’ first Mid-Ohio race.
The 22-year-old beat Robert Megennis by 0.2074 seconds around the short lap for his fifth pole of the season.
“Qualifying always counts ? especially around [Mid-Ohio], so it’s really comforting to know we’re going to be starting from pole,” Askew said.
“It?s so hard to pass in the race. We tested here last week, and this morning we went through some short runs. We?re super, super strong right now. The car is absolutely on rails and I feel good – that?s a dangerous combination.”
Despite the risky handling, Andretti were the fastest team by a notable margin, with the joint BN Racing and Team Pelfrey entry of Toby Sowery ensuring they didn’t fill the top three spots some four tenths behind.
Ryan Norman put the third Andretti car in fourth, ahead of Juncos Racing team-mates Dalton Kellett and Rinus VeeKay. Title contender VeeKay 0.6161s off the pace.
Sowery’s BN Racing team-mate David Malukas was sandwiched in eighth by Belardi Auto Racing pair Aaron Telitz and Lucas Kohl.
Qualifying results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oliver Askew | Andretti Autosport | 1m11.6795s |
| 2 | Robert Megennis | Andretti Autosport | +0.2074s |
| 3 | Toby Sowery | BN Racing/Team Pelfrey | +0.4527s |
| 4 | Ryan Norman | Andretti Autosport | +0.5524s |
| 5 | Dalton Kellett | Juncos Racing | +0.5812s |
| 6 | Rinus VeeKay | Juncos Racing | +0.6161s |
| 7 | Aaron Telitz | Belardi Auto Racing | +1.0856s |
| 8 | David Malukas | BN Racing | +1.2056s |
| 9 | Lucas Kohl | Belardi Auto Racing | +1.3695s |