Colton Herta and Scott McLaughlin dominated the qualifying session for IndyCar's double-header at Iowa Speedway, despite facing challenges due to hybrid issues. The unique format of the double-headers included each driver completing two single-car laps, with the first lap determining their starting position for Saturday night's race and the second lap determining their spot for Sunday's event. The qualification order was based on reverse entrant points.

Driving the No. 26 Andretti Global Honda, Colton Herta set an impressive first lap speed of 187.655mph, claiming his first pole position on an oval track. However, he encountered deployment issues during his run, and although he contemplated another attempt, he ultimately settled for fourth place in the second race.

Scott McLaughlin, representing Team Penske in the No. 3 Chevrolet, secured the second spot for the first race with a first lap speed of 187.526mph. He then went on to break the track record with a lightning-fast second lap of 188.248mph, claiming the pole position for the second race.

Behind Herta and McLaughlin, reigning champion Alex Palou took the third spot for Race 1, while Will Power from Team Penske claimed fourth place. Palou will start second for Race 2, joined by Scott Dixon from Chip Ganassi Racing in third and Colton Herta in fourth position.

The qualifying session witnessed some noteworthy performances and incidents as drivers aimed for favorable starting positions. David Malukas from Meyer Shank Racing showcased an impressive display, setting the benchmark with strong first and second lap speeds of 184.151mph and 185.595mph respectively. However, Graham Rahal outpaced him with quick back-to-back laps of 184.810mph and 185.690mph.

Unfortunately, Marcus Armstrong from Chip Ganassi Racing made contact with the wall at the exit of Turn 2 during his second lap, resulting in a disappointing speed of 173.682mph. Josef Newgarden from Team Penske also struggled with balance issues, managing speeds of 182.763mph and 184.154mph during his two laps.

Jack Harvey from Dale Coyne Racing faced hybrid unit engagement problems during his initial run, leading to him getting another chance at qualifying. Despite battling significant back pain, Harvey achieved speeds of 182.661mph and 182.263mph on his two laps.

Meyer Shank Racing's Felix Rosenqvist impressed with speeds of 185.196mph and 186.835mph, placing him within the top contenders. Colton Herta experienced issues with his battery deployment but remained in contention for pole position during his first and second attempts.

Ultimately, Scott Dixon managed to secure third place, while Pato O'Ward and Will Power claimed provisional fourth and sixth places respectively. The championship leader, Alex Palou, managed to grab second place in the second race.

The double-header at Iowa Speedway promises an exciting weekend of racing. Race one is set to kick off at 8 pm ET, with coverage available on NBC, Peacock, and the IndyCar Radio Network.