Alex Palou – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Chris Owens

By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio

With his fourth INDYCAR championship a fait accompli _ that’s French for it’s a done-deal, race fans _ Alex Palou is free to chase open-wheel history.

Alex Palou – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Joe Skibinski

Palou crushed the slim championship hopes of closest-pursuer Pato O’Ward and the rest of his NTT IndyCar Series peers with a ridiculously dominant victory in Sunday’s Java Grand Prix of Monterey. Pole-winner Palou led a massive 84 of 95 laps around WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca’s 2.238-mile/11-turn natural-terrain layout in Northern California en route to his second consecutive event victory, and third win in the past four years.  

Palou, of Chip Ganassi Racing, collected the weekend’s maximum number of points (54), and coupled with the fourth-place finish of Arrow McLaren’s O’Ward, increased his lead to a comfortable 121 points. Only three races remain on the 17-event schedule.

Alex Palou – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Paul Hurley

“I just didn’t feel like I had the performance today,” said O’Ward, a 26-year-old native of Mexico with family ties to San Antonio, Texas. O’Ward started alongside Palou in Row 1 but dropped to third behind Colton Herta in the race’s opening moments. And that was that for O’Ward, who began the race 99 points behind Palou.

“There were cars giving me a lot of pressure from behind,” O’Ward said. “It felt like we extracted the most out of what we had. There are still three races to go. We’re going to keep pushing, but the No. 10 car (of Palou) just keeps winning.”

Alex Palou – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Joe Skibinski

While Palou admittedly has work to do to clinch a third consecutive series championship and fourth in five years, the required effort will be relatively minimal. Effectively, O’Ward needs to win-out for the Palou Express to be threatened. Every other series regular has been eliminated from title contention.

“It’s been an awesome weekend, an awesome year (and) today was something else,” said Palou, driver of the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. “It’s super-fun to be here _ one of my favorite tracks for sure. I love it so much, every single lap. Even the in-laps, the out-laps _ I love every single lap I do around here with any car. I normally tend to love other tracks that we go to, but this is the most fun I have. I couldn’t be happier right now.”

Christian Lundgaard, Alex Palou, Colton Herta – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Chris Owens

Palou posted his eighth win in 14 races this season. Only three drivers in the sport’s history _ Houston native A.J. Foyt Jr. in 1964, Al Unser in 1970 and Mario Andretti in 1969 _ have won more races in a single year. “Super-Tex” and Unser share the season record with 10 wins; Andretti had nine. Palou is one of six drivers with eight, the first to do so since Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais in 2007.

So, at the start of his post-race presser with Team Manager Barry Wanser, Palou was asked which question does he not want to hear more _ the one about chasing 10 wins or is the championship over?

Alex Palou – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Joe Skibinski

“The one that it’s over; it’s never over until it’s over,” said Palou, channeling his inner Yogi Berra. “I think I proved that at Mid-Ohio, and we’ve seen that in the past as well.

“Honestly, I would not trade our points for anybody. I would not trade our position and I would not ask for anything more or anything less. But, yeah, it’s not done until it’s done. We still need to win it. We still need to keep our heads down and try and win more races.

“So, yeah, I don’t mind hearing the 10 races one. It seems that it’s a lot of work to make it, but I don’t mind hearing that. Whenever you hear that you are in a chance of making something that it’s so historical and so tough to do, it motivates us.”

Alex Palou – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – (Photo by Travis Hinkle | IMS Photo)

SEE: Race Results

The win also was the 19th of Palou’s mercurial career _ the 28-year-old Spaniard has made just 95 starts. Only 23 drivers in open-wheel racing history have been to Victory Lane more often, and the next event is at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway, a track where Palou won in 2021 and 2023.

“Performance today was amazing by the team, in the pits, certainly by Alex,” Wanser said. “I think that the biggest turning point in the race for us was the pace we had on the (Firestone Firehawk) primary harder tires against the cars behind us on the alternate soft tires. That was really important.

“Then we got through that. We really weren’t sure which tires were going to be the best. If anybody thinks we know exactly what to do when the race starts with the tires beyond what we chose to start on, you have a lot to learn. There’s so much to it, and you have to adapt. I don’t think we really knew until halfway through the race.”

Amazingly, Palou relinquished the lead only to pit. The first driver taking P1 was Arrow McLaren’s Nolan Siegel, the first 11 series laps-led of the native Californian’s career. On Palou’s second stop, Team Penske’s Will Power was briefly ahead of him, but the native Australian and two-time series champion pitted before he could officially lead a lap.

Palou’s margin of victory was 3.7965-seconds, but he frequently led by more than that. Alex lowered his average finish in five starts at Laguna Seca to 1.6 _ lowest of any driver in any event on the current calendar.

“It was not easy,” Palou insisted. “We had to push; we had to try to be ready for those (late caution periods). We knew that we were not on the (freshest) of tires…but luckily we had enough pace to open a small gap and get the win.”

Christian Lundgaard – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Chris Owens

Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard of Denmark finished second with native Californian Colton Herta of Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian third. The two had a memorable mid-race moment when Lundgaard muscled his way to the inside of Herta through the track’s final corner.

David Malukas led the two-car effort by Waller, Texas-based A.J. Foyt Racing with a 13th-place finish after starting sixth in the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet.

“For some reason we did not have a race car today,” said Malukas, a 23-year-old native of Chicago in his first season with Foyt’s organization. “We kind of figured that out after the first four or five laps, so we knew it was going to be survival till the end. So just praying and holding on and trying to make it out. Very thankful that we managed to come out with the P13. There were some crashes at the end that pulled us forward. Obviously need to get our heads down, study what’s going on with these road-courses this year. A lot of work to do.”

Robert Shwartzman and Conor Daly – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Josh Hernandez

Two incidents marred the opening lap. First, a dispute between Conor Daly and rookie Robert Shwartzman of Isreal shoved the latter into the Turn 3 gravel pit. Three corners later, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyffin Simpson of the Cayman Islands ran into the back of Sweden’s Felix Rosenqvist, knocking the Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian driver through the gravel and against the tire barrier. Simpson ricocheted off the wall, sending his car into another part of the tires.

On Lap 11, Dale Coyne Racing rookie Jacob Abel appeared to have a mechanical failure as his car completely missed Turn 1 and sailed into the gravel. Later, Kirkwood ran into the back of Dale Coyne Racing’s Rinus VeeKay of The Netherlands, drawing the penalty that effectively ended Kirkwood’s championship hopes.

Marcus Ericsson – Java House Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Joe Skibinski

The two late caution periods were the result of the Turn 6 off by Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson of Sweden and A.J. Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci spinning at the top of the famed Corkscrew complex in Turn 8. Ferrucci, driving with a sore right hand injured in a massive crash the previous Sunday on the Streets of Toronto, started 20^th and finished 22^nd.

“Overall, really long stretch of four weekends in a row, just really happy for it to be over,” said Ferrucci, a 27-year-old resident of Dallas and driver of the No. 14 Sexton Properties Chevrolet. “The only thing that went right were our pit stops. Guys were good in the pits. Otherwise, it was just terrible and unlucky; we finished it off with the same exact streak that we started with. We’ve had pace here and there but we just haven’t been good. And I think we need to sit down and really understand what was wrong over the next week that we have off and come back to Portland really strong.”

After five races over four July weekends, the series will take a short break before resuming Palou’s march to the Astor Challenge Cup. The BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland is booked for Sunday, Aug. 10, at 3 p.m. (EDT) on FOX Sports.

Caio Collet – INDY NXT By Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey – Photo by Paul Hurley

Brazil’s Caio Collet completed a commanding double-header sweep of the INDY NXT by Firestone weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Sunday, inserting himself into championship contention with three races remaining.

The HMD Motorsports driver led all 35 laps in each of the Grand Prix of Monterey races, slicing his deficit to series leader Dennis Hauger by more than half as the rookie from Norway stumbled in Race 2. With nine laps remaining, Hauger had contact with Andretti Global teammate Lochie Hughes of Australia, sending both cars into the gravel pit. Hauger finished 16th in the 19-car field.

SEE: Race Results

Hauger entered the weekend with a 94-point lead on Collet, who was in third place behind Hughes. But that advantage has been sliced to 42 heading to the Aug. 10 event at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway. Hauger finished second in Race 1. Hughes finished sixth and 15th in the two races and trails Hauger by 89 points.

Josh Pierson, Caio Collet and Callum Hedge – INDY NXT By Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey – (Travis Hinkle | IMS Photo)

Collet scored his third win of the season and his fourth overall. He also became the 12th consecutive series pole-winner to win the race. “It’s incredible and also we had some luck today as well for the championship,” said Collet, 23. “Hopefully I’m in the fight right now and we’ll keep it going.”

Collet admitted to relief when he wheeled around the 2.238-mile/11-turn natural-terrain road-course and saw Hauger and his car stuck in the gravel.

“It’s hard not to think about the championship when you see your main rival going off (the track),” Collet said. “Obviously, there was still racing left. There’s always bad luck (in racing). I had it happen at Barber (Motorsports Park on May 4); now it’s happened to him. It’s a championship and hopefully we can fight until the end.”

Josh Pierson of HMD Motorsports finished second for his second straight podium result. Pierson had not posted a top-three finish in his first 32 series races; he now has three in consecutive races. Abel Motorsports driver Callum Hedge of New Zealand finished third, his first podium of the season and second of his career.

For the second consecutive day, Lap 1 presented trouble, and it seemed to start when Hauger dropped right-side wheels into the gravel, which kicked up dust. Deep in the pack, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Bryce Aron ran over the back of HMD Motorsports’ Liam Sceats of New Zealand. Australian Tommy Smith’s HMD Motorsports car also was collected. Smith later had contact of his own, bouncing off the tire barrier in Turn 6.

On a mid-race restart, Abel Motorsports’ Jordan Missig spun in Turn 11, creating a chain reaction as the trailing Smith got hard on the brakes. Behind them came three HMD Motorsports drivers _ Nolan Allaer, rookie Juan Manuel Correa of American-Ecuadorean descent and rookie Hallie Deegan _ with the latter two receiving the most damage.

The ensuing restart saw Abel Motorsports’ Myles Rowe spinning during a passing attempt on Hedge. In front of them was the skirmish between Hauger and Hughes. On the restart with five laps to go, Rowe had contact with Andretti Global’s Salvador de Alba of Mexico in Turn 5, earning Rowe a drive-through penalty for avoidable contact.

With the championship pursuit down to three races, up next is the Grand Prix of Portland (1 p.m. EDT, FS1, FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network).

NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings _ 1, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 590; 2, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 469; 3, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 392; 4, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 377; 5, Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, 357; 6, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 315; 7, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, 313; 8, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, 307; 9, Will Power, Team Penske, 289; 10, David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Racing, 276;

11, Rinus VeeKay, Dale Coyne Racing, 259; 12, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 259; 13, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 248; 14, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 239; 15, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 232; 16, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 231; 17, Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 215; 18, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing, 214; 19, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 213; 20, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 200;

21, Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren, 181; 22, Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 172; 23, Robert Shwartzman, PREMA Racing, 168; 24, Callum Ilott, PREMA Racing, 163; 25, Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 144; 26, Devlin DeFrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 133; 27, Jacob Abel, Dale Coyne Racing, 100; 28, Takuma Sato, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 36; 29, Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing, 20; 30, Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, 16;

31, Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, 12; 32, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, 10; 33, Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren with Henrick Motorsports, 6; 34, Marco Andretti, Andretti Herta with Marco & Curb-Agajanian, 5.

FOX SPORTS’ 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES BROADCAST COVERAGE SCHEDULE

Sunday, March 2 _ Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, March 23 _The Thermal Club, Thermal, Calif.  (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, April 13 _ Streets of Long Beach, Calif. (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, May 4 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, May 10 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, May 25 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, June 1 _ Streets of Detroit (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, June 15 _ World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill. (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, June 22 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, July 6 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington (Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, July 12 _ Iowa Speedway, Newton, Race 1 (Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, July 13 _ Iowa Speedway, Newton, Race 2 (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, July 20 _ Streets of Toronto, Canada (Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, July 27 _ WeatherTech Raceway, Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, Aug. 10 _ Portland (Ore.) International Raceway (FOX, 3 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 24 _ The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis. (FOX, 2 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 31 _ Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn. (2:30 p.m.)

NOTE _ All times Eastern. Dates and times subject to change.