Can Alex Palou Actually Win the IndyCar Title?

This time last year, Alex Palou was in the midst of a mixed rookie season as the second driver at the eternal IndyCar underdog Dale Coyne Racing. When Felix Rosenqvist left Chip Ganassi Racing, he got the call to join one of the category's top teams. From that moment on, Palou has been nothing less than the best driver in the series.

Palou's two wins this season are the most for a teammate of Scott Dixon at CGR since Dario Franchitti in 20TK. The team has always been competitive simply by virtue of employing Dixon, but his spectacular individual success has successfully hidden a team that has struggled to consistently produce competitive second and third entries since Franchitti retired after the 2013 season. Palou changed that singlehandedly the moment he joined the team, winning his first IndyCar race in his first day in CGR's No. 10 car.

More impressive than that has been the consistency. While fellow young drivers Colton Herta (seventh in the standings) and Pato O'Ward (second to Palou in the standings) have been exceptional some weeks, Palou has been exceptional most weeks. He has finished outside the top four just three times all season, racking up six podiums in just ten races and three in the last three. He was the only serious title contender to run well the entire Indianapolis 500; a significant chunk of his championship lead coming from a second place finish in that race.