FORT WORTH, Texas (JUNE 6, 2020)
Reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion and defending Texas Motor Speedway winner Josef Newgarden picked up exactly where he left off last year at No Limits, Texas by taking the pole position for Saturday night's Genesys 300.
 
Despite the temperature nearing triple digits, the driver of the No. 1 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet lapped the 1.5-mile high-banked tri-oval for a two-lap average of 24.0289 seconds at a speed of 215.740 mph.
 
For his efforts, the Hendersonville, Tenn., native was presented with the traditional pole winner award at Texas Motor Speedway, a Henry Texas Tribute edition rifle.
 
"I don't want to say I was surprised," Newgarden said. "It felt like the car was quick. I didn't know if we had enough to beat [Scott] Dixon; he looked really good in his qual trim. I felt the XPEL car was great. I just tried to do the best I could to stay flat. That's just all I had to do was keep it pinned around the track. The car was perfect."
 
Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Honda) was second with a two-lap average of 24.0403 at 215.638 and Newgarden's Penske teammate Simon Pagenaud (No. 22 DXC Technology Chevrolet) was third at 24.0596 at 215.464.
 
Last year's No. 1 qualifier, Takuma Sato, crashed in Turn 1 on his warmup lap. Sato was seen and released from the Wise Health System infield media center despite extensive damage to the No. 30 Abeam Consulting Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda.
 
The Genesys 300 will be broadcast live on NBC tonight beginning at 7 p.m. CT, with the green flag to wave at 7:10 p.m.
 
Genesys 300 Qualifying Results
 
Driver                                                  Time                           MPH
Josef Newgarden                                24.0289                       215.740
Scott Dixon                                          24.0403                       215.638
Simon Pagenaud                                24.0596                       215.464
Ryan Hunter-Reay                              24.1891                       214.311
Zach Veach                                         24.2265                       213.981
Will Power                                           24.2323                       213.930
Graham Rahal                                     24.2381                       213.878
Alexander Rossi                                  24.2595                       213.689
Felix Rosenqvist                                  24.2742                       213.560
Tony Kanaan                                       24.2938                       213.388
Marco Andretti                                     24.3163                       213.190
Charlie Kimball                                    24.3632                       212.780
Ed Carpenter                                       24.3707                       212.714
Colton Herta                                        24.3727                       212.697
James Hinchcliffe                                24.3834                       212.603
Alex Palou                                           24.3948                       212.504
Marcus Ericsson                                 24.4482                       212.040
Pato O'Ward                                       24.4513                       212.013
Conor Daly                                          24.5193                       211.425
Oliver Askew                                       24.5874                       210.839
Jack Harvey                                        25.2082                       205.647
Rinus VeeKay                                     NO TIME
Takuma Sato                                       NO TIME
Santino Ferrucci                                  NO TIME