INDYCAR Power Rankings: Will the Indy 500 jumble this list?
There's no question who leads the INDYCAR power rankings, as Alex Palou has now won four of the first five races thanks to his latest win in the Indy Grand Prix.
The harder decision on this list is who to leave off.
Josef Newgarden opened the season finishing third at St. Petersburg, but since then, he hasn't finished better than 10th. So the two-time defending Indianapolis 500 winner has dropped from the list.
It might seem silly come a couple of weeks if Newgarden challenges for an unprecedented third consecutive Indy 500 victory. For now, however, he's on the outside looking in.
Dropped out: Josef Newgarden (Last Week: 8), Alexander Rossi (LW: 10)
On the verge: Josef Newgarden, Graham Rahal, Alexander Rossi
10. Colton Herta (LW: 7)
Herta retired early from the Indy Grand Prix with a 25th-place finish. But with one top five and three top 10s this year, he remains on this list.
9. Rinus VeeKay (LW: Not Ranked)
VeeKay finished ninth at the Indy Grand Prix, which backed up a fourth-place finish at Barber. He has three top-10 finishes on the year. This isn't a grade on the curve pick for a driver from a team that isn't expected to run often in the top 10. He belongs here.
8. Felix Rosenqvist (LW: 9)
A 10th-place finish at the Indy Grand Prix wasn't a great day. And certainly finishes of 13th and 10th in the last two races aren't great, but the Meyer Shank driver still ranks eighth overall in the INDYCAR standings.
7. Scott Dixon (LW: NR)
Who was the dummy who dropped him off this list last week? OK, the final result at Barber of finishing 12th — even though 14 spots better than where the Ganassi veteran started — still left questions. His fifth-place finish at the Indy Grand Prix didn't.
6. Kyle Kirkwood (LW: 6)
An eighth-place finish on Saturday was serviceable. But after his Long Beach win, finishes of 11th and eighth are likely a little frustrating.
5. Christian Lundgaard (LW: 2)
A bad day at the Indy Grand Prix with a 16th-place finish was surprising, considering the Arrow McLaren driver had a strong run in the race last year driving for Rahal.
4. Will Power (LW: 5)
After a wreck on the opening lap of the season, Power has finishes of sixth, fifth, fifth and then third at the Indy Grand Prix. Why does the Penske driver not have a contract yet for next year?
3. Pato O'Ward (LW: 4)
O'Ward has had a little mercurial season but he now has two second-place finishes on the year. As the Arrow McLaren driver said, he needs to find a way to beat Palou.
2. Scott McLaughlin (LW: 3)
With three finishes in the top-four, McLaughlin can feel like he is close to Palou. Or as close as anyone is.
1. Alex Palou (LW: 1)
What more can you say? The Ganassi driver won another one. He has more than a full race lead on the entire field in the standings.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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