Chaos at Start of IndyCar Race Causes Havoc for Championship Leader Alex Palou

The second Milwaukee Mile 250 of the Labor Day doubleheader starts in complete chaos as championship leader Alex Palou stalls on the pace lap. Palou entered the race 43 points ahead of Will Power with two races remaining, but after stalling a second time, looked to start multiple laps down as the team assessed the issue.

With five laps completed under yellow, the race looked to start with Josef Newgarden in the lead, but the start was aborted, and not everyone caught on, sending Newgarden into the wall and out of the race. When Linus Lundqvist went down the track into Marcus Armstrong, sending Armstrong into Newgarden.

While the race continued to run under yellow, Palou exited the car to frantically run through the pits, collecting intel as his team took the car back to the garage to assess what is now known to be a hybrid engine issue.

Palou reentered the race 28 laps down as his championship competition, Will Power, ran out the front. If Power wins this race, he has the chance to enter the championship finale at Nashville as the leader, depending on how much ground Palou can make up as other entries retire throughout the course of the 250-mile race.

Power entered Portland two rounds ago 59 points behind Palou at Portland Power won with Palou right behind to keep his hopes alive. Yesterday, in the first half of the doubleheaders, Power's second-place finish behind Pato O'Ward decreased Palou's lead slightly, as the championship leader finished just off the podium in fourth place.

Since Palou rejoined the race, two of the Arrow McLarens, O'Ward and Nolan Siegel, retired due to gearbox issues. Palou needs every position that he can salvage.

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