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Alex Palou is now clearly the favorite to post a record-tying fourth consecutive NTT IndyCar Series championship and fifth overall title with his victory Sunday in the OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland.* Palou earned his sixth victory of the season and 25th of his career, driving his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to a 4.1167-second victory over the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of NTT P1 Award winner Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajani, finishing second.
“Everybody at CGR and Honda did an incredible job,” Alex Palou said. “I had an absolute rocket ship today. It was very, very nice to drive every single lap. Chip puts the best guys around me, but then also everybody is just executing. That car is a rocket ship, and I’m just lucky enough to drive it.”
Two-time series champion Will Power finished third in the No. 26 TWG AI Honda in his first race with Andretti Global at Portland International Raceway after winning this race the last two years with Team Penske.
Rinus VeeKay provided a strong weekend by finishing fourth in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, with Kirkwood putting two Andretti Global cars into the top five in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda.
The race, which had just one caution period for two laps, evolved into a strategy match of tire management over its 110 laps. Rosenqvist, Palou and Power each started on the slower, more durable Firestone Firehawk primary tire from the top three positions, respectively. Rosenqvist led the first 30 laps until he and Power both made their first pit stop on Lap 31, staying on the primary tires.
Palou and strategist Barry Wanser decided to stay out one lap longer on an “overcut” strategy, pitting for alternate tires on Lap 32. Palou was able to lay down a blinding lap on that extra trip around the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course and exited the pits ahead of Rosenqvist and Power.
The Spaniard Palou increased his championship lead to 110 points over Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global, a gap of more than two races with just five races remaining this season. [Click on Race Results – AutoCrat.]
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Alex Palou All But Assured of 2026 NTT IndyCar Series Title
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Alex Palou is now clearly the favorite to post a record-tying fourth consecutive NTT IndyCar Series championship and fifth overall title with his victory Sunday in the OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland.* Palou earned his sixth victory of the season and 25th of his career, driving his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to a 4.1167-second victory over the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of NTT P1 Award winner Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajani, finishing second.
“Everybody at CGR and Honda did an incredible job,” Alex Palou said. “I had an absolute rocket ship today. It was very, very nice to drive every single lap. Chip puts the best guys around me, but then also everybody is just executing. That car is a rocket ship, and I’m just lucky enough to drive it.”
Two-time series champion Will Power finished third in the No. 26 TWG AI Honda in his first race with Andretti Global at Portland International Raceway after winning this race the last two years with Team Penske.
Rinus VeeKay provided a strong weekend by finishing fourth in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, with Kirkwood putting two Andretti Global cars into the top five in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda.
The race, which had just one caution period for two laps, evolved into a strategy match of tire management over its 110 laps. Rosenqvist, Palou and Power each started on the slower, more durable Firestone Firehawk primary tire from the top three positions, respectively. Rosenqvist led the first 30 laps until he and Power both made their first pit stop on Lap 31, staying on the primary tires.
Palou and strategist Barry Wanser decided to stay out one lap longer on an “overcut” strategy, pitting for alternate tires on Lap 32. Palou was able to lay down a blinding lap on that extra trip around the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course and exited the pits ahead of Rosenqvist and Power.
The Spaniard Palou increased his championship lead to 110 points over Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global, a gap of more than two races with just five races remaining this season. [Click on Race Results – AutoCrat.]
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.