IndyCar drivers are ready to get back on track as they tackle the challenge of Practice 2 in the 2026 Road America round. Will the Meyer Shank Racing duo manage to secure another impressive result returning at the top of the standings, or will 2025 Road America race winner Palou resume his lead spot?
IndyCar Practice 2 goes green in Road America
After the early set of attempts, Collet leads from Malukas and Simpson. Yesterday, the Penske talent had been the best performant out of his team, but ended up only in P12, definitely not the result the runner up at the Indy 500 nor his team aim for.
The former Dale Coyne driver went fastest in 1:44.606, before running wide in the dirt at the exit of Turn 13. With 33 minutes left on the clock for this session, the first red flag of the day was issued, as Andretti’s Will Power ran wide at the same spot where earlier Malukas had, but ending up far into the grass.
Consequently, the session came to a stop in order to remove the grass brought on track by him. Nolan Siegel had just gone fastest in 1:44.554s, with Collet and Malukas close seconds.
The session resumed a little over the halfway point, however after three minutes another red flag was issued. Ganassi’s Scott Dixon, who has not yet managed to extend his 22 years of winning at least one race per season, received and served a drive through penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
Chaos continue
RLL’s Louis Foster came to a halt on track at Turn 8, as he turned off his car in the grass after going rather slowly. Due to the location of his stop, he will not be able to resume the session, as it can’t be safely towed to the pits.
Green flag racing resumed with 22 minutes on the clock, with O’Ward going out on softs. Siegel on another fast lap, remains stuck for a while behind a much slower Rahal. After getting by the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver, the Arrow McLaren man tries to build a small cushion on McLaughlin ahead of him.
With fifteen minutes left in the session, times begin to tumble, as Collet, Armstrong and O’Ward cycle in P1. The Mexican, who is the only man on track on the faster compound, sets the fastest time of the weekend thus far in 1:44.002. Siegel, Malukas, Ferrucci, Rossi, Rahal and Power complete the top ten.
Palou too becomes the latest driver to run off track at Turn 14, whereas McLaughlin becomes the fastest Penske on track, slotting in P3. In spite of still nursing his Indy 500 injury, St. Louis race winner Josef Newgarden is out on track, insisting on competing in spite of the fact that Penske called up their reserve driver Felipe Nasri. His first lap is good enough for P13, but he will have six minutes of track time to improve that.
Dale Coyne Racing driver Grosjean m joins the top ten. However, it’s short lasted, as he is replaced firstly by Schumacher and secondly by Newgarden. Palou moves up to the top 4, while Arrow McLaren’s Lundgaard laments of understeering at Turn 14, struggling to make his way up from P25.
Last sets of attempts
Ahead of the final flying attempts, O’Ward, Armstrong, McLaughlin, Malukas and Collet complete the top 5. With a little over one minute before the end of the session, Rossi runs wide off track, even before the beginning of the aforementioned Turn 13. Replays show his Ed Carpenter Racing team Christian Rasmussen too struggling, with his front tyres locking up.
O’Ward, Armstrong and McLaughlin remain the top three, but it must be noted the fact that the driver of car no. 5 was the only man on track to sport soft tyres.
