Alex Palou Goes Back to Back with NTT IndyCar Series Championship

Sunday’s race for the IndyCar Series championship was barely a whimper.

Will Power’s already-difficult pursuit of Alex Palou for the title collapsed early in the season’s final race at Nashville Superspeedway as a loose lap belt forced Power to pit road and out of championship contention. Power began the day 33 points behind Palou and was mathematically eligible to move into first.

In effect, Power’s lap-12 issue handed the championship to Palou, who became a three-time title winner and added another resume line for those who see the Spaniard as on the way to becoming one of open-wheel racing’s all-time greats. He finished 11th Sunday, a lap down to the leaders.

Meanwhile, with the title balloon popped early, attention turned to the chase for the race win on one of IndyCar’s fastest tracks, and the 206-lap Big Machine Music City Grand Prix found Colton Herta on top at the end of the afternoon.

Palou Times Three

Alex Palou continues to make team owner Chip Ganassi a happy man.

Ganassi’s favorite slogan over decades of racing team ownership is “I like winners.” It’s a simple-enough declaration – doesn’t everyone like winners? – but for the ultra-successful Ganassi it continues to define his approach to building successful teams.

Palou has kept Ganassi atop the IndyCar world for most of recent history. He won the championship in 2021 and 2023 and tacked on number three Sunday. Will Power interrupted Palou’s title rides, winning the championship for Team Penske in 2022. On Sunday, Palou became the first driver to win back-to-back titles since Dario Franchitti, who won three in a row from 2009 to 2011.

Palou, 27, scored his third title despite problems during the last two race weekends. He finished 19th at the Milwaukee Mile September 1, giving second-place Power a bit of daylight with the Nashville finale waiting. At Nashville Palou qualified poorly and then was dropped to 24th on the starting grid because of a penalty.

Of course, Palou was made aware of Power’s early-race problems. “We just had to keep on going,” Palou said. “I’m super proud. It’s been an amazing year, and I’m happy we brought the championship back home.”

Palou became the second youngest IndyCar driver to score three championships. Sam Hornish Jr. was three months younger than Palou when Hornish won his third title in 2006.

The championship is the 16th for Ganassi’s team.

Herta Ends His Oval Jinx

For Colton Herta, the problems associated with racing in circles ended Sunday.

Herta sprinted into the lead with five laps to go and won an IndyCar oval race for the first time, finishing 1.81 seconds ahead of Pato O’Ward. Josef Newgarden completed the podium after several battles in tight, crowded traffic over the closing 10 laps.

The victory boosted Herta into second place in series points. Scott McLaughlin finished third on the point list, and Will Power, who finished 24th, dropped to fourth in points.