Alex Palou – INDYCAR IR-28 Testing at IMS – Photo by Joe Skibinski

By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio

Alex Palou racked-up miles-and-smiles during Day 2 of INDYCAR’s IR-28 oval validation test Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Testing on the next-generation NTT IndyCar Series car went so smoothly that Palou pulled into pit road 15 minutes early after his Chip Ganassi Racing team completed every item on its checklist.

Alex Palou – INDYCAR IR-28 Testing at IMS – Photo by Joe Skibinski

“Very fun,” said Palou, the newly-crowned five-time/reigning series champion. “At the beginning, it was super-fun because it’s a new car and you’re back at the Speedway. Then you’re like, ‘Can we go faster?’ It’s still super-fun. I’m testing the new car at the Speedway.”

Palou’s outing in the IR-28 chassis provided by series partner Dallara followed Alexander Rossi’s session on Wednesday. The two-day test with Indianapolis 500 champions Palou (2025) and Rossi (2016) gave engineers another valuable set of data and driver feedback leading into “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” next May.

Palou and Rossi shared driving duties during the car’s track debut last month on the 2.439-mile/14-turn IMS Road-Course. That three-day test was extended by rain. Rossi, driving for Ed Carpenter Racing, provided feedback representing Team Chevy while Palou represented Honda-powered teams for Chip Ganassi Racing. Both returned to IMS’ famed 2.5-mile oval for this validation test.

Alex Palou – INDYCAR IR-28 Testing at IMS – Photo by Joe Skibinski

Rossi completed his testing Wednesday in temperatures that climbed into the low 90s with high humidity. An approaching cold front dropped temperatures nearly 10 degrees Thursday, giving INDYCAR engineers another set of environmental conditions to evaluate the car.

“It does everything that INDYCAR machinery should do around here,” said Rossi, a 34-year-old native of Nevada City, Calif. “We got through some basic mechanical and aero changes to kind of understand the offsets that they’re going to present to us in a couple of years, and there was no surprise. It was really pretty standard.”

The IR-28 is designed to be lighter than the current car manufactured by Dallara, with revised aerodynamics intended to improve stability and reduce the aerodynamic disadvantage of closely following another car.

Alex Palou – INDYCAR IR-28 Testing at IMS – Photo by Joe Skibinski

Mike O’Gara, INDYCAR’s vice president of Competition and Race Engineering, said the sanctioning body approached the test with a “crawl, walk, run” philosophy. That gradual approach is particularly important on an oval. INDYCAR’s current DW-12 machinery has been developed for more than a decade, and its Speedway package is highly refined. In comparison, the IR-28 is beginning that process from scratch.

O’Gara said INDYCAR Officiating Technical Director Nick Allen noted Wednesday “how easy the car is to work on. It’s very intuitive.”

The focus Thursday remained on data collection rather than outright speed, despite Palou and Rossi qualifying first and second, respectively, for last May’s Indy 500.

Single-car running allowed engineers to evaluate the IR-28 through a variety of aerodynamic configurations while gathering driver feedback on how the car responds to the demands of oval racing.

Alex Palou – INDYCAR IR-28 Testing at IMS – Photo by Joe Skibinski

Rossi had a separate plan Wednesday than Palou’s Thursday checklist. The goal was to understand the car’s behavior across different aerodynamic setups and ride heights while identifying opportunities to improve its performance and race-ability.

“I don’t really know what he (Rossi) did,” said Palou, a 29-year-old native of Barcelona, Spain. “I think he did a lot of basic stuff. Even us, we did a lot of basic stuff and trying to get a lot of data for Dallara itself to try and see what the car is doing when we get like crazy ride heights up, down, just trying to get like basic numbers.”

A six-time race-winner this season, Palou added to his burgeoning NTT IndyCar Series resume by clinching his fifth championship in six years after finishing 10th in the Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250 at The Milwaukee Mile on Aug. 30. He finished fifth in the first race of the series’ lone double-header weekend. It was the mercurial Palou’s fourth straight title since open-wheel reunification in 2008, tying a series record set by Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais from 2004-07.

Driver of the No. 10 DHL CGR Honda, Palou is the youngest driver in series history to win five titles. Open-wheel icon and Houston native A.J. Foyt Jr. was 32 when he earned his fifth championship in 1967. Only “Super Tex,” with seven, and native New Zealander Scott Dixon, with six, have won more INDYCAR titles than Palou. Dixon was 38 when he won his fifth title with CGR.

Considerable development work remains before the IR-28 makes its series race debut in 2028. Palou and Rossi now have their first oval impressions of the car that will define the next generation of INDYCAR.

“We got a lot more laps than I expected with the weather, and the car felt good,” Palou said. “We actually got quite a lot of speed. We improved over 2 miles an hour throughout the day, and we didn’t really work too much to get it.”

An updated formulation of Shell’s 100 percent Renewable Race Fuel will be introduced for the 2027 NTT IndyCar Series season.

The new race fuel builds on the renewable program launched in 2023 and continues INDYCAR’s commitment to advancing innovation and sustainability in motorsports.

Beginning in 2027, all NTT IndyCar Series entries will compete using an updated fuel formulation supplied by Shell. The new fuel incorporates a significant portion of domestically sourced renewable ethanol produced from the waste stream of a grain mixture-based distilling process and is blended with additional renewable components to create a 100 percent renewable race fuel.

“From the beginning, INDYCAR has viewed racing as a platform for innovation,” said Mark Miles, president/CEO, Penske Entertainment Corp. “This next evolution of our renewable race fuel program demonstrates the continued progress that can be made when industry leaders work together to develop high-performance solutions that help advance sustainability goals without compromising competition.”

The ethanol feedstock used in the updated formulation will now be domestically sourced from Indiana, home of both the series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. By drawing on Indiana’s rich agricultural and motorsports heritage, the program creates a powerful connection between the Heartland communities that help produce the fuel and the world-class racing that showcases it on-track each May in Indianapolis and at venues across North America and Canada.

“Shell has been a terrific partner for the NTT IndyCar Series, and their 100 percent renewable race fuel has set the standard around the world as the first renewable and sustainable fuel in racing,” said Ed Carpenter, owner of ECR and a 23-time Indy 500 starter. “To now know that the fuel that powers the series will be sourced in my home state makes the partnership even more powerful to me.

“Indiana loves racing, and the farmers in our state now have an even deeper connection to the NTT IndyCar Series, thanks to Shell and their innovation.”

The updated fuel delivers at least a 70 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the Renewable Fuel Standard average gasoline baseline. The fuel will continue to meet the performance and durability requirements of the series and its engine manufacturers, Chevrolet and Honda.

“The level of dedication that Shell has for both Team Penske and the NTT IndyCar Series is amazing,” said David Malukas, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. “They are continually working to provide the most advanced products, and this new fuel is a continuation of that philosophy. There is not a better time to announce this change to corn that is grown and processed in the Midwest. As an Illinois native, it’s another reason why I’m proud to work with Shell.”

Since 2023, every NTT IndyCar Series race has run on Shell’s 100 percent Renewable Race Fuel, making it the first major U.S.-based motorsports series so-powered. The updated formulation reflects the ongoing evolution of the program and shared vision of INDYCAR and Shell to advance fuel technology through competition.

“For decades, Shell and INDYCAR have worked together to advance innovation through motorsports’ demanding testing environments,” said Colette Hirstius, president, Shell USA. “That collaboration continues with renewable race fuel engineered to help deliver the performance and reliability required for motorsports while incorporating renewable feedstocks sourced in the United States.”

Shell’s Renewable Race Fuel is blended from components derived from biogenic wastes and byproducts that meet the renewable fuel definition in the Renewable Fuel Standard. Shell’s Renewable Race Fuel is not available at retail stations.

Final 2026 NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings _ 1, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 631; 2, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 545; 3, Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, 535; 4, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 522; 5, David Malukas, Team Penske, 514; 6, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 482; 7, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 429; 8, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 423; 9, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing; 412; 10, Rinus VeeKay, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 378;

11, Will Power, Andretti Global, 368; 12, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 331; 13, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 327; 14, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, 320; 15, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing, 307; 16, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 302; 17, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 368; 18, Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 267; 19, Romain Grosjean, Dale Coyne Racing, 259; 20, Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren, 259;

21, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 245; 22, Dennis Hauger, Dale Coyne Racing, 228; 23, Mick Schumacher, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 213; 24, Caio Collet, A.J. Foyt Racing, 203; 25, Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 182; 26, Derek Daly, Dryer & Reinbold Racing, 24; 27, Takuma Sato, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 20; 28, Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, 8; 29, Jacob Abel, Abel Motorsports, 6; 30, Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian, 5;

31, Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, 5; 32, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Arrow McLaren, 5; 33, Katherine Legge, HMD Motorsports with A.J. Foyt Racing, 5.

Final 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone Point Standings _ 1, Nikita Johnson, Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR, 585; 2, Enzo Fittipaldi, HMD Motorsports, 556; 3, Tymek Kucharczyk, HMD Motorsports, 551; 4, Max Taylor, Andretti Global, 470; 5, Lochie Hughes, Andretti Global, 453; 6, Alessandro de Tullio, A.J. Foyt Racing, 442; 7, J.M. Correa, Cusick Morgan Motorsports, 389; 8, Myles Rowe, ABEL Motorsports, 388; 9, Jack Beeton, HMD Motorsports, 382; 10, Max Garcia, ABEL Motorsports, 381;

11, Josh Pierson, Andretti Global, 364; 12, Matteo Nannini, Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR, 362; 13, Seb Murray, Andretti Global, 306; 14, Bryce Aron, Chip Ganassi Racing, 298; 15, Niels Koolen, Chip Ganassi Racing, 268; 16, Salvador de Alba, HMD Motorsports, 245; 17, Nicolas Stati, Cusick Morgan Motorsports, 227; 18, Colin Kaminsky, ABEL Motorsports, 222; 19, Jordan Missig, ABEL Motorsports, 216; 20, James Roe, Chip Ganassi Racing, 214;

21, Alexander Koreiba, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 207; 22, Carson Etter, Chip Ganassi Racing, 182; 23, Nicholas Monteiro, A.J. Foyt Racing, 179; 24, Ricardo Escotto, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 142; 25, Jacob Abel, ABEL Motorsports, 101; 26, Nolan Allaer, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 67; 27, Bart Harrison, HMD Motorsports, 51; 28, Yuven Sundaramoorthy, Cusick Morgan Motorsports, 9.

FOX SPORTS’ 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES BROADCAST SCHEDULE/(RACE WINNER)

Sunday, March 1 _ Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, March 7 _ Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Ariz., (Josef Newgarden, Team Penske)

Sunday, March 15 _ Streets of Arlington, Texas, (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, March 29 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala., (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, April 19 _ Streets of Long Beach, Calif., (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, May 9 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course, (Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, May 24 _ 110^th Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval, (Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian)

Sunday, May 31 _ Streets of Downtown Detroit, (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, June 7 _ World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill., (Josef Newgarden, Team Penske)

Sunday, June 21 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis., 2 p.m., (Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, July 5 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, (Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren)

Monday, July 20 _ Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn., (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, Aug. 9 _ Portland (Ore.) International Raceway, (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, Aug. 16 _ Streets of Markham, Canada, (Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global)

Sunday, Aug. 23 _ Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, Aug. 30 _ The Milwaukee Mile Race 1, West Allis, Wis., (Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, Aug. 30 _ The Milwaukee Mile Race 2, West Allis, Wis., (Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, Sept. 6 _ WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, (Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske)

2026 INDYCAR NXT BY FIRESTONE SCHEDULE/(RACE-WINNER)

Sunday, March 1 _ Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., (Nikita Johnson, Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR)

Sunday, March 15 _ Streets of Arlington, Texas, (Max Taylor, Andretti Global)

Saturday, March 28 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala., (Nikita Johnson, Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR)

Sunday, March 29 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala., (Alessandro de Tullio, A.J. Foyt Racing)

Friday, May 8 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course Race 1, (Enzo Fittipaldi, HMD Motorsports)

Saturday, May 9 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course Race 2, (Tymek Kucharczyk, HMD Motorsports)

Sunday, May 31 _ Streets of Downtown Detroit, (Enzo Fittipaldi, HMD Motorsports)

Sunday, June 7 _ World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill., (Myles Rowe, Abel Motorsports)

Saturday, June 20 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis., Race 1, (Lochie Hughes, Andretti Global)

Sunday, June 21 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis., Race 2, (Matteo Nannini, Cape Motorsports powered by ECR)   

Saturday, July 4 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Race 1, (Enzo Fittipaldi, HMD Motorsports)

Sunday, July 5 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Race 2, (Enzo Fittipaldi, HMD Motorsports)

Sunday, July 19 _ Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn., (Matteo Nannini, Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR)

Sunday, Aug. 9 _ Portland (Ore.) International Raceway, (Alessandro de Tullio, A.J. Foyt Racing)

Sunday, Aug. 30 _ The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis., (Max Garcia, Abel Motorsports)

Saturday, Sept. 5 _ Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., Race 1 (Josh Pierson, Andretti Global)

Sunday, Sept. 6 _ Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., Race 2 (Tymek Kucharczyk, HMD Motorsports)