Teammate Josef Newgarden has denied Australia's Will Power a record fifth pole position for the Indycar race in Birmingham, Alabama.
American Newgarden, who used a win at Barber Motorsports Park a year ago as a catapult to the 2017 IndyCar championship title, edged out Power by just 0.0128s to start from pole in Sunday's Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.
Power, a two-time winner at Barber, will start on the front row for the eighth time in the 2.3 mile pemanent road track's nine-race history.
Newgarden gave Team Penske their 256th Indy car pole, the most of any team in history.
It is the only third pole position of his eight-year IndyCar Series career and first since the 2017 season finale at Sonoma Raceway, where he wrapped up his first championship with a second-place finish in the race.
Sebastien Bourdais nailed down his best Barber qualifying effort in eight tries, earning the third starting position.
Bourdais, who won the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, has never finished better than eighth at Barber.
