IndyCar Laguna Seca race starting grid: Pole position, qualifying results, start time

Scott McLaughlin wins the pole position for the IndyCar Series finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Five-team season points champion Alex Palou — the race winner here the past two years — is also on the front row for the Mission Grand Prix Monterey, a 95-lap race on the 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course.

McLaughlin also earned pole position for the season opener at St. Petersburg, Fla., where he finished 2nd.

Here's where the drivers vying for series runner-up will start: Kyle Kirkwood 6th; Christian Lundgaard 11th, and Pato O'Ward 12th. These three drivers are separated by 4 points. Lundgaard qualified 5th but faces a 6-position starting grid penalties for excessive engine changes, as does Caio Collet .

Who won pole position for the IndyCar race at Laguna Seca? IndyCar starting grid, qualifying results, leaderboard

(*-reflects 6-position starting grid penalty)

IndyCar photos from Laguna Seca in 2026 season finale

When does the IndyCar Series race at Laguna Seca? IndyCar schedule for the Mission Grand Prix Monterey

(All times ET; all IndyCar sessions are on IndyCar Live, IndyCar Radio and Sirius XM Channel 218)

2:30 p.m. : IndyCar race coverage, Fox (green flag at 3 p.m.)

IndyCar race at Laguna Seca predictions from IndyStar's Zion Brown

Christian Lundgaard, Kyle Kirkwood, Pato O'Ward: Who takes second place in the points? "Christian Lundgaard has been the most consistent of the three on road courses this year, and he came second at Laguna Seca in 2025, so I say Lundgaard."

Who is IndyCar's most improved driver in 2026? "It has to be Marcus Ericsson. By improving from 20 th in the 2025 championship to getting back into the top 10 and winning a race, Ericsson proved he still belongs on an upper-tier team like Andretti Global."

IndyCar TV schedule this weekend: How to watch Laguna Seca

TV : Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, on Fox . Green flag is scheduled for 3 p.m. Will Buxton is the play-by-play voice, with analysts James Hinchcliffe and Townsend Bell . Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters.

How much are Monterey Grand Prix tickets? How much are tickets for the IndyCar races at Laguna Seca?

Who won the IndyCar Laguna Seca race in 2025?

Alex Palou capped the 2025 season with his eighth win, and Christian Lundgaard and Colton Herta completed the podium.

Who is leading IndyCar? 2026 IndyCar points, standings, results

Alex Palou has won six races, Pato O'Ward three, Josef Newgarden , Kyle Kirkwood and Christian Lundgaard two each, and Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Ericsson one each. (Points are for full-season entrants)

How can I stream the IndyCar Laguna Seca race? How to stream the Mission Grand Prix Monterey?

How can I listen to IndyCar Laguna Seca race?

IndyCar Nation is on SiriusXM Channel 218, IndyCar Live and the IndyCar Radio Network (check affiliates for each race). Mark Jaynes is the anchor, with driver analyst Davey Hamilton.

Will it rain during the IndyCar race at Laguna Seca? Weather Monterey forecast for IndyCar race

Sunday : Mostly sunny with highs in the upper 60s.

(*-street course; ^-road course; #-oval; all races on Fox, SiriusXM Channel 218; times are start of TV coverage, ET)

March 1 : St. Petersburg, Fla. * ( Winner : Alex Palou )

Saturday, March 7 : Phoenix # ( Winner : Josef Newgarden )

Sunday, March 15 : Arlington, Texas * ( Winner : Kyle Kirkwood )

Sunday, March 29 : Birmingham, Alabama ^ ( Winner : Alex Palou )

Sunday, April 19 : Long Beach, California * ( Winner : Alex Palou )

Saturday, May 9 : Indianapolis road course ^ ( Winner : Christian Lundgaard )

Sunday, May 24 : Indianapolis 500 # ( Winner : Felix Rosenqvist )

Sunday, May 31 : Detroit * ( Winner : Alex Palou )

Sunday, June 7 : Madison, Illinois # ( Winner : Josef Newgarden )

Sunday, June 21 : Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin ^ ( Winner : Christian Lundgaard )

Sunday, July 5 : Lexington, Ohio ^ ( Winner : Pato O'Ward )

Monday, July 20 : Lebanon, Tennessee ( Winner : Alex Palou )

Sunday, Aug. 9 : Portland ^ ( Winner : Alex Palou )

Sunday, Aug. 16 : Markham, Ontario * ( Winner : Marcus Ericsson )

Sunday, Aug. 23 : Washington, D.C. * ( Winner : Kyle Kirkwood )

Sunday, Aug. 30 : Milwaukee # ( Winner : Pato O'Ward )

Sunday, Aug. 30 : Milwaukee # ( Winner : Pato O'Ward ; race completed Sunday after being postponed by rain after 91 laps on Saturday, Aug. 29)

Sunday, Sept. 6 : Monterey, California ^, 2:30 p.m.

Zion Brown is IndyStar's motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn . Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter .

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