DCR Qualified in Fast Six for First Time since 2022
INDIANAPOLIS – Dale Coyne’s drivers, rookie Dennis Hauger and returning IndyCar driver Romain Grosjean, have both qualified within the Firestone Fast Six on the streets of St. Petersburg. This is the first time since 2022 that the team has qualified with this kind of result.
Hauger, who was the IndyNXT Champion last year, which earned him a scholarship for the DCR seat, qualified P3 with a time of 1:00:574. He will start the race in row two next to four-time IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou.
“I wasn’t really expecting that to be honest,” Hauger told the Fox Broadcast following his result. “I mean, we had been on the back foot in practice, but we really just kept on going, and, man, it was super nice.
In qualifying, I got some experience on the red tires, and we were pretty quick! So, good start. Still got a day tomorrow, so we’ll keep working, but definitely more than I could hope for.”
Grosjean, who has returned to the series as a full-time driver after spending last year as a reserve driver for Prema Racing, earned himself a P6 starting position with a time of 1:01:3462. Though it is the first time since 2022 for DCR to qualify within the top 6, the French driver won pole position with former team, Andretti Global, in 2023.
The two will hope to beat three-time St. Petersburg NTT Pole Position winner, Scott McLaughlin, driver of the No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevy, in tomorrow’s race.
“We did this last year, and I proceeded to have the worst year of my life,” McLaughlin said. “I’m just focused on execution tomorrow and the rest of the season. This is one little step. Just really proud of the execution because I felt like we nearly actually missed Q1. We were right on the buffer there, and the car was terrible. It was nice to tune it up and get it right, and then it became one of my favorite cars I’ve had around here.
It’s a testament to Raul and the camaraderie that we’ve built already and the understanding for each other, and that can only grow from here.”