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Fox Sports
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Instant Recall: Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix
INDYCAR If three-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou is still improving as a race car driver, as Chip Ganassi suggested earlier this year, how much better will he get? That question comes in the hours after the 28-year-old Spaniard won his third race in four opportunities this season, and he finished second in the other race. Palou dominated Sunday's Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix presented by AmFirst at Barber Motorsports Park, leading 81 of the 90 laps from the pole in the No. 10 HRC Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to extend his series lead to a staggering 60 points. That cushion is more than an opponent can gain in a single race. Palou's points lead is so commanding that the Chip Ganassi Racing driver could skip this Saturday's Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and still occupy the top position. And remember, he is bidding for his third consecutive season championship and fourth in five years, so he knows how to march to a title. Palou was so impressive Sunday that he relinquished the lead only to stop for fuel and tires. His margin of victory in the caution-free race was 16.0035 seconds over Arrow McLaren's Christian Lundgaard. Out front so comfortably, Palou joked after the race about being 'lonely' in the late going as he finished with 63 seconds of Push to Pass. Such is life as the sport's top driver. It has been 19 years since an INDYCAR SERIES driver started a season this well. That was Sebastien Bourdais' title run in 2006 when he won the first four races. 'It's amazing,' Palou said of his breakout. 'It means nothing, and (it) means a ton at the same time. '(It) means nothing for (winning) the championship yet. But for sure, I prefer to be in the position we are now than (being in) anybody else's position.' Lundgaard scored his fourth consecutive top-eight finish – he has three straight top-three finishes -- as his brilliant start in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet continued. But nearly everyone who was expected to challenge Palou's crown this season was down in the order Sunday and has a big points hole from which to climb. For example, last year's series runner-up, Colton Herta of Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian, is already 99 points behind Palou. The strange thing about this race is that Palou wasn't really challenged. Oh, fellow front-row starter Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske was at Palou's side on the opening lap, but Palou soon vanished in the distance, posting the fastest lap of the race on Lap 4. McLaughlin, who had won the previous two races on this 17-turn, 2.3-mile road course, finished third in the No. 3 Good Ranchers Team Penske Chevrolet. Most of Sunday's drama occurred in the pits, where several top drivers had hiccups. Rinus VeeKay was among those. The No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda lost precious seconds when the right front wheel nut got loose, but VeeKay drove masterfully to give Dale Coyne's team a fourth-place finish, its best result since David Malukas finished third at World Wide Technology Raceway late in the 2023 season. This was VeeKay's second top-10 of the season, having finished ninth in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to open the campaign. Team Penske's Will Power finished fifth in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. But they were all chasing Palou, who lapped 11 of the other 26 competitors and is truly pulling away from the field. 'Yeah, best start of my career, like not (just) in INDYCAR, I would say everything I've done in my life,' Palou said. 'Never been as good as here. Not even go-karts. Yeah, couldn't be happier. Hopefully we can keep it going.' History suggests it can. Palou is the two-time reigning champion of the Sonsio Grand Prix, an 85-lap race that will be staged at 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday (FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network) on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course. If it seems Palou can do no wrong, get used to it. As Ganassi suggested, Palou seems to improve with each race. recommended
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'Lonely' Palou cruises to win at IndyCar Alabama Grand Prix
Spain's Alex Palou won the Alabama Indy Grand Prix for his third win in four races to open the IndyCar season (TOM PENNINGTON) Spanish pole-sitter Alex Palou dominated from start to finish to win Sunday's Alabama Indy Grand Prix and stretch his IndyCar points lead in quest of a third consecutive season title. Palou won for the third time in four races this season with Denmark's Christian Lundgaard second and New Zealand's Scott McLaughlin third. Advertisement It was the 14th IndyCar career victory for Palou after 90 laps over the 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Not since New Zealand's Scott Dixon had a driver won three of the first four races in an IndyCar campaign. Palou cruised to victory in 16.26 seconds. "It was a perfect day, I would say a perfect weekend," Palou said. "The car was amazing, super fast, and I just had a ton of fun. I was a bit lonely there but I loved it. It was an amazing day." Dutchman Rinus Veekay was fourth with Australia's Will Power fifth. Palou, chasing a fourth series crown in five campaigns, won this year's first two races at St. Petersburg and Thermal and captured his latest on the same Alabama track where he took his first IndyCar triumph in 2021. Advertisement "We've always been really good here. I love this place," Palou said. "Every lap here feels good. It's going to be special from now on." Palou surged ahead at the start and cycled back to the front quickly after the first two sets of pit stops. He refueled for the last time on lap 65 and three laps later was back in front to the finish. Palou, 28, advanced his points edge with Lundgaard moving past Long Beach winner Kyle Kirkwood of the United States into second. "It's awesome. Everything we could have hoped for and much better," Lundgaard said. The fifth race of the season will be contested Saturday on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as teams prepare for the series' signature event, the Indianapolis 500 oval classic on May 25. js/nr
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Honda Racing Corporation Will Sponsor Alex Palou's Indy Car At Barber
The stunning livery on Alex Palou's Indy car that will race at Barber Motorsports Park. Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) will serve as primary sponsor of three-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou's Chip Ganassi Racing entry in this weekend's Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park. HRC will partner with Chip Ganassi Racing and the No. 10 Honda driven by reigning and three-time IndyCar champion Palou at the spectacular road course near Birmingham, Alabama. For most of the season, Palou's No. 10 Honda is sponsored by DHL. The No. 10 Honda will carry a striking livery that was featured during this winter's HRC crossover event in Las Vegas. Formula One driver Yuki Tsunoda drove the 2024 IndyCar championship-winning chassis around the road course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with guidance from six-time IndyCar Champion Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing. Side view of Alex Palou's HRC Honda at Chip Ganassi Racing. 'We are excited to be the primary partner on the No. 10 CGR Honda at Barber Motorsports Park,' said HRC USA President David Salters. 'We've had a very successful long-term partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing and both of us have seen a lot of success from that collaboration. 'Alex Palou has done an incredible job the last few years and to kick off this 2025 season and coming on board the No. 10 car seemed liked a great opportunity for visibility around the HRC brand and our new performance parts business.' About 40 miles east of Barber Motorsports Park in Lincoln, Alabama, is Honda's largest light truck production facility where the award-winning Passport, Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgeline are assembled. Many Honda associates from the Alabama plant will attend the race at Barber on May 4 to see the HRC No. 10 in action. 'Over the years, we have had many successes working with Honda, winning multiple championships and Indianapolis 500s,' team owner Chip Ganassi said. 'We are looking forward to partnering with them at Barber on the No. 10, and hope Alex and the team will continue their successful start to the year.' Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US), has a rich heritage creating, manufacturing, and supporting Honda Racing and Acura Motorsports customers since its founding in 1993 as Honda Performance Development (HPD). In January 2024, HPD became HRC US, combining with HRC Japan to strengthen the company's overall motorsports capabilities. From pinnacle racing in IndyCar and IMSA sports cars to commercial racing programs, HRC US leads all Honda and Acura high-performance racing programs in North America and will be involved in Formula One power unit development and race support related to the next phase of Honda starting in 2026. HRC US specializes in the design and development of powertrain, chassis, electronics, and performance parts, as well as technical and race support. The company also offers parts and race support to Honda and Acura amateur and professional motorsports racers; and is continually expanding its palette of racing programs that make Honda racing products available to all racing styles, from karting and quarter midgets to the highest levels of professional racing. Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for more than 35 years and is considered one of the most successful and innovative owners in motorsports. Today, his teams include three Honda cars in the NTT IndyCar Series and two entries in INDY NXT by Firestone. Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) has won 23 championships and more than 260 races, including five wins in the Indianapolis 500, eight Rolex 24 At Daytona victories, and wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. CGR boasts state-of-the-art facilities in Indianapolis, where the IndyCar and INDY NXT teams are located, and a corporate office in Pittsburgh. Overhead view of Alex Palou's No. 10 HRC Honda at Chip Ganassi Racing.
Fox Sports
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Focus on Race Pace Helps Felix Rosenqvist Reach New Level
INDYCAR Felix Rosenqvist enters Sunday's Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst riding a wave of cautious optimism and experience. After three races, he's sitting fourth in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings – matching career-best early-season form from 2019 and 2024. While last year's season started strong, including being fifth at this point, it unraveled in the second half, leaving Rosenqvist 12th in the final standings. However, both Rosenqvist and Meyer Shank Racing believe they're better equipped in 2025 to sustain a title challenge, starting with the race airing at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. That belief is backed by key improvements. For starters, the No. 60 MSR Honda entry significantly climbed the entrant points standings last year, ascending from 25th in 2023 to 12th in Rosenqvist's first season driving the car. 'Last year we had a lot of DNF's, which were mainly technical issues, to be honest,' Rosenqvist said. 'I think last year we probably belonged in the top eight. This year, it feels like we're a little bit better.' Rosenqvist highlighted why he feels like the team is better. The team shifted its technical alliance with Andretti Global, a pairing since 2020, to Chip Ganassi Racing starting this season. Rosenqvist said Andretti Global focused more on outright qualifying speed during their partnership with MSR, while CGR zeros in on setups that bring race pace. That appears to be more than just a tweak – it may be transformative. Rosenqvist's early consistency in 2025 with strong race results – seventh, fifth and fourth in the first three races – rather than just qualifying flashes suggests the CGR influence is helping him convert pace into points. 'It's a trend of the year,' Rosenqvist said. 'I think last year we had really good qualifying results, and we tended to move rearwards in the races. And this year we've been really good in the races.' In 17 points-paying races last season, Rosenqvist finished behind his starting position 13 times. This season, he's gained or finished even in two of the three. If MSR can continue blending Ganassi's race pace insights with Rosenqvist's proven speed in qualifying, the team may have found the formula to stay in the top tier all season. 'I think there's still stuff to do better,' Rosenqvist said. 'We had a little hiccup in Long Beach and gave something away, I think, essentially a podium. But it's a good day, and I feel like we're here every race.' The other layer to the improvement equation were some CGR personnel who are working this season with MSR due to the alliance. One is Ross Bunnell, who is Rosenqvist's engineer this season. He was Scott Dixon's engineer on the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda since 2023. Bunnell led Dixon to five wins across two seasons. 'Ross (Bunnell) has done a phenomenal job,' Rosenqvist said. 'He's a really good engineer, and he brings a lot of knowledge. He's taught me a lot of new things this year, even in my seventh year. 'I feel like we're hungry and we're definitely getting better and better.'
Fox Sports
18-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Louis Foster Makes Progress While Absorbing Rookie Lessons
INDYCAR Louis Foster is experiencing the challenging life of an NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie. That was never more evident than coming to World Wide Technology Raceway on Wednesday, April 16, to take part in a rookie oval test alongside PREMA Racing rookie Robert Shwartzman. Last time Foster was on the 1.25-mile track, he led all 75 laps from the pole to take one of his eight wins during a 2024 championship-winning season in INDY NXT by Firestone. He returned for the test as a rookie driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, sitting 24th among 27 drivers in points. That leaves the English driver in a rare position entering the next race, the Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst on Sunday, May 4 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Foster is used to winning. He won 10 of his 28 INDY NXT by Firestone starts across two seasons. He's not been close in three INDYCAR SERIES races this season. 'Unfortunately, the races haven't gone our way just yet,' Foster said. 'But the team and I are working really hard and very well together to keep improving. Some of the results have been totally out of our control, so my focus is on what we can control and working hard to make sure the team and I get the best out of the weekends.' Foster was collected in an opening-lap crash in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding, then finished 24th in The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix. However, the 65-lap race at The Thermal Club road course located near Palm Springs, California, was a great dose of medicine that Foster needed to improve. After completing no race laps in St. Petersburg, he nearly went the distance at The Thermal Club, completing 64 of 65 laps, allowing for a great learning experience. 'I did my first full INDYCAR race at Thermal and learned a lot about tire management, fuel management and pit stops,' Foster said. 'Those things were a big learning curve for me, and now that I've got that out of the way, I do feel more relaxed and have a bit more understanding of how things are going to play out.' Before this season, Foster had never driven a race car with an aeroscreen. Racing with a hybrid system also is a first. He's also not had to work on fuel-saving measures or had a car serviced during a pit stop since his junior category races were essentially sprint races from green flag to checkered. Getting that experience led to a career-best 16th-place finish in last weekend's 50th anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. The learning doesn't stop with that result. The next aim, in addition to continuing to learn the inner workings of how to complete a race, is to charge forward instead of backward. Foster has flashed decent qualifying speed for a rookie in the No. 45 Mi-Jack Honda. He started 16th in St. Petersburg, 10th at The Thermal Club and 20th in Long Beach. Fighting forward, however, is easier said than done. Only 28 rookie drivers since 1947 have reached victory lane, including two since 2007 – Carlos Huertas (Houston 1, 2014) and Alexander Rossi (Indianapolis 500, 2016). That's a large adjustment for a driver used to winning. Luckily, Foster has plenty of learning opportunities ahead. Beginning with last week's race in Long Beach, he will be in the car 14 of the next 16 weeks. 'We're about to get into the meat of the season, and it's going to be hitting the ground running from that point,' he said. 'I feel confident that we can get the most out of it and progress faster so that when we get into the meat of the season, it kind of is smooth sailing.' in this topic
