Scott Dixon's rival for a third US IndyCar motor racing championship nearly claimed pole position and a vital bonus point in qualifying.
But Brazilian driver Helio Castroneves was narrowly pipped by his Australian team-mate Will Power to first place on the grid for Sunday's season-ending Fontana race.
Castroneves, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, enters the series finale 25 points behind Auckland driver Dixon as he aims for his first series championship.
Castroneves was holding provisional pole on the two-mile oval track when Power went a fraction of a second faster for his third pole of the season.
Dixon was seventh but both he and Castroneves will be bumped 10 places back on the grid for switching engines before the race.
Dixon needs to finish no more than a couple of places behind Castroneves to take the title.
This is the eighth straight season the championship will be decided in the final race.
The race is on Sunday New Zealand time.
