Alex Palou Poised for Historic Season as INDYCAR Returns to Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona – As the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to Phoenix Raceway this Saturday for the Good Ranchers 250, Alex Palou enters the race riding the momentum of a dominant victory at the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The four-time series champion is not only contending for wins but is as well rapidly establishing himself in INDYCAR history.

A Century of Success: Palou’s Impressive Win Rate

Palou, driving the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, is set to make his 100th series start. Remarkably, with 20 career wins already secured, he is guaranteed to have won at least 20 percent of his first 100 races – a feat unmatched by any other active driver on the circuit. News USA Today reports this milestone places Palou in exclusive company.

Even as seasoned veterans Scott Dixon (59 wins), Will Power (45 wins), and Josef Newgarden (32 wins) have more overall career victories, none achieved as many wins before reaching their 100th race. Power previously held the high mark with 18 wins at his 100th start, while Dixon and Newgarden each had seven. Palou’s 20th win places him alongside Earl Cooper, whose last victory came exactly 100 years ago.

Looking Ahead: Palou’s Pursuit of INDYCAR Legends

Palou’s continued success could see him quickly ascend the ranks of INDYCAR’s most iconic names:

• Two more wins would tie him with Tony Bettenhausen and Emerson Fittipaldi.
• Four more wins would pull him alongside Ralph DePalma and Bobby Rahal.
• Five more wins would get him even with Gordon Johncock.
• Seven more wins would match the career total of Johnny Rutherford.

Phoenix Raceway: A Return to the Desert

This weekend marks the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Phoenix Raceway since 2018. INDYCAR.com notes the event is part of a “Desert Double” with the NASCAR Cup Series. While Palou will be making his first career start on the 1-mile oval, several other drivers have experience at the track.

Scott Dixon has six starts at Phoenix (2003-05, 2016-18), including a win in 2016 and a second-place finish in 2004. Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Alexander Rossi, and Graham Rahal each have three starts at the Arizona track. Newgarden won in 2018, while Power finished third in 2018 and second in 2017.

Oval Expertise and the 2026 Season

Palou demonstrated his oval racing prowess last year, winning two of the six oval races on the schedule. Other one-time winners included Pato O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Rasmussen, and Newgarden.

The Good Ranchers 250 will be one of three Saturday races on the 2026 INDYCAR SERIES schedule. The action begins with three Friday practice sessions, airing on FS2. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET, followed by a final practice at 4:30 p.m. ET, with teams focusing on utilizing the high line of the oval.

The race distance is 250 miles.