Alex Palou led an intense second practice for the NTT IndyCar Series at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The 25-year-old Spaniard managed 23 laps around the 11-turn, 2.238-mile natural terrain road course, with a session-best circuit of 1m11.3847s (112.865 mph) in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Alexander Rossi put the No. 27 Andretti Autosport Honda in second, but behind a sizeable 0.3073s. Championship leader Will Power ended up third, ahead of Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden in fourth.
Two-time defending race winner Colton Herta put the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda in fifth.
Six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon was sixth, with rookie Christian Lundgaard an impressive seventh.
Simon Pagenaud put the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda in eighth. The No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet piloting by rookie Callum Ilott was ninth.
Another rookie, David Malukas, ended up 10th.
There were multiple stoppages in the session, with the first red flag coming just after the opening 10 minutes when Graham Rahal spun off course in the Corkscrew at Turn 8 in the No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda. Practice resumed a few minutes later, but was hit with its second red flag 12 minutes later when the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet of Pato O’Ward spun off course in Turn 10 and made light contact with the tire barrier.
Up Next: Qualifying at 5:05 p.m. ET, with live coverage on Peacock, IndyCar Live! and the IndyCar Radio Network.
