BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— Alex Palou paced the Saturday morning practice session for Sunday’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park.
The 2021 IndyCar Series champion went around the 17-turn, 2.3-mile natural terrain road course in 1 minute, 6.2781 seconds to average 124.928 mph. The No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda was victorious at Barber in 2021.
Second fastest was three-time Barber winner Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet. Newgarden was .2352 seconds slower than Palou. Scott McLaughlin was third, .0253 seconds slower than teammate Newgarden.
A few drivers had various slides and off track excursions but the 45-minute session had only one interruption. 2010 Barber winner Helio Castroneves spun the No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing Honda exiting Turn 9 and stalled the car. The stationary car brought out the red flag with just 46 seconds remaining in the session.
Red flag is out in Practice 2 for this @h3lio incident.#INDYCAR // #INDYBHM pic.twitter.com/GNzOPWAGpq
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) April 29, 2023
IndyCar race control resumed the session after Castroneves’s car went back to the pits.
IndyCar qualifying will take place at 2:00 p.m. Central time and will stream live on Peacock. The 90-lap race will air live on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Central time on NBC.
