Alessandro de Tullio, Max Taylor Capture Indy Doubleheader Poles

Alessandro de Tullio continued his qualifying dominance Friday, earning the top starting spot for the first of two INDY NXT by Firestone races this weekend in the Indianapolis Grand Prix.

De Tullio (photo, top) edged Max Taylor for the pole for Friday’s 35-lap race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, while Taylor returned the favor by topping de Tullio for the pole for Saturday’s second race of the doubleheader weekend on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit.

SEE: Race 1 Qualifying Results | Race 2 Qualifying Results

Each driver’s quickest lap in the two-group qualifying session set the field for Race 1, while each driver’s second-best lap established the grid for Race 2. Drivers in the first group occupy the odd-numbered starting positions, while drivers in the second group fill the even-numbered spots.

Race 1 is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET today on FS2 with Race 2 at 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday on FS1. Both races are also on FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.

De Tullio earned the Race 1 pole with a lap of 1 minute, 15.0846 seconds in the No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing entry, marking the rookie’s fourth consecutive pole position.

He converted his most recent pole into his maiden series victory in the second race of the Barber Motorsports Park doubleheader March 29 and enters Friday’s race fifth in the standings.

“They (the No. 14 team) do an amazing job,” de Tullio said. “Every weekend, they’re on it. We had a morning issue, and they fixed it. It’s all thanks to them, the whole 14 crew, my engineer, they all support me.”

Taylor (photo, above) posted a lap of 1:15.2443 in the No. 28 Susan G. Komen Andretti Global entry as his second-best lap in Group 2 of qualifying, narrowly beating de Tullio’s 1:15.3190 to secure the Race 2 pole.

Saturday’s 30-lap race marks Taylor’s second pole of the season, joining his pole-winning run in the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg. Combined, Taylor and de Tullio have claimed all six poles this season.

“Disappointed in myself for not going fastest,” Taylor said. “I think we definitely could have been on pole for both races. I didn’t execute everything. I think the team gave me an amazing car. I could have been a bit better, but it’s still good. I think we can win from there for both races.”

Taylor won the inaugural Java House Grand Prix of Arlington on March 15, his lone victory of the season.

Andretti Global swept both INDY NXT by Firestone races last May on the IMS road course with rookies Lochie Hughes (Race 1) and eventual series champion Dennis Hauger (Race 2).

The team had a strong contingent of cars up front for both races this weekend.

Hughes qualified third for Race 1 with a lap of 1:15.2203 in the No. 26 Andretti Global entry, his best starting position of the season. He starts sixth (1:15.3527) in Saturday’s race. Teammate Josh Pierson qualified fourth for Race 1 in the No. 29 Starchive Andretti Global entry with a lap of 1:15.3767. Pierson starts third (1:15.3873) Saturday as he seeks his first career victory.

Points leader Nikita Johnson, who was second quickest behind Taylor in Friday morning’s practice, qualified fifth for Race 1 with a lap of 1:15.3165 in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports powered by ECR entry. He rolls off fourth (1:15.3262) in Race 2.

Rookie Tymek Kucharczyk rounded out the top five starters for Saturday’s race with a time of 1:15.5405 in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports entry.