Alex Palou Claims Fifth INDYCAR Title
Alex Palou secured his fifth NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in six seasons, mounting an 86-point advantage by the season’s end. Across a calendar featuring fierce competition, Chip Ganassi Racing and Palou captured multiple victories, while Arrow McLaren, Andretti Global, and Team Penske also secured standout weekends. Palou stacked up six wins, including a season-high 13.2775-second margin of victory at Barber Motorsports Park.
Barber Motorsports Park Showcase
Palou’s drive at the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix stands as his most convincing performance of the year. He won the NTT P1 Award and led 79 of the 90 laps, representing 87.8 percent of the race distance. Palou pitted on Lap 43 and Lap 65, dropping only to third place before cycling back to the front. Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard finished second, trailing Palou by 13.2775 seconds.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Beatdown
Arrow McLaren achieved its first series 1-2 finish at The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard combined to lead 86 of the 90 laps, equating to 95.6 percent of the race. Lundgaard led the first 41 laps before O’Ward passed him during a side-by-side battle in Turn 2. The victory marked O’Ward’s first win since his triumph at the 2025 street race in Toronto.
THE FOUR-PEAT IS COMPLETE ✅Alex Palou has clinched his fourth consecutive NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship! pic.twitter.com/rwj7Vck4RR
Freedom 250 Grand Prix, D.C.
Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood won the new street race in the nation’s capital after qualifying second behind Palou. Kirkwood passed Palou on the opening lap and led 128 of the 147 laps, or 87.1 percent of the race. His path to victory cleared when Palou encountered struggles and Scott McLaughlin crashed his Team Penske machine into the Turn 1 tire barrier on Lap 129. Kirkwood crossed the finish line 3.0906 seconds ahead of Lundgaard.
Snap-On INDYCAR Weekend at Milwaukee
Pato O’Ward swept both races of the Wisconsin doubleheader at the historic Milwaukee Mile for Arrow McLaren. O’Ward led 174 of the 500 total laps across the two races, securing victories by margins of 0.7916 seconds over Scott McLaughlin and 1.7535 seconds over Team Penske’s David Malukas. The sweep marked O’Ward’s third career win at the venue and the first doubleheader sweep since Josef Newgarden accomplished the feat at Iowa Speedway in 2023.
Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey
Scott McLaughlin ended a 36-race winless drought by dominating the season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Driving for Team Penske, McLaughlin started from the pole position and led 87 of the 95 laps, totaling 91.6 percent of the race distance. He fended off Kyle Kirkwood to win by 1.3739 seconds, securing his first victory in more than two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many consecutive poles did Alex Palou secure?
Alex Palou secured five consecutive pole positions, starting with the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and extending through the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America.
What was Josef Newgarden’s oval win total?
Josef Newgarden has 20 oval victories in his INDYCAR SERIES career following wins at Phoenix Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway.
How many total laps did Pato O’Ward lead during the Milwaukee doubleheader?
Pato O’Ward led 174 laps across both races at the Milwaukee Mile, accounting for 34.8 percent of the total distance for the doubleheader event.
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