Alex Palou Pads Championship Lead With Iowa Win: 'It is Magical'

Bob Pockrass

FOX Motorsports Insider

NEWTON, Iowa — Alex Palou might skip the subsequent two races and nonetheless have a minimum of a 21-point lead over the subsequent closest driver with three races remaining.

Palou has no plans to skip a race. However with a 129-point lead on Pato O’Ward with 5 races remaining, he can race figuring out it could take a complete collapse for him to lose the championship.

Alex Palou celebrates in victory lane along with his crew throughout Race 2 at Iowa Speedway

The factor is, Palou, following his win Sunday at Iowa Speedway, mentioned they’ve raced that means all 12 months, that they’ve raced that means in most of his championship seasons in 2021, 2023 and 2024.

“Truthfully, that’s how we have been racing since Race 1 in St. Pete,” Palou mentioned. “We began racing not fascinated by the factors as a result of it was the primary race of the season. And I raced laborious at this time, as laborious as I might, risking all the pieces as a result of I needed to get the win and I needed to struggle laborious.

“I do not assume we have ever raced for factors. The one locations I keep in mind was most likely Nashville final 12 months and Lengthy Seashore in 2021, the place you already know that when you end in [a certain] place, you could be the champion.”

The contenders simply know they’re racing in opposition to greatness.

O’Ward completed fifth on Sunday within the second race of the Iowa doubleheader, a day after he received the primary race of the weekend. That may, on most weekends, lower into the championship lead.

Pato O’Ward interview in Victory Circle after profitable Race 1 at Iowa

However Palou constructed on Saturday’s fifth-place end and rode to a victory on Sunday. With a pole and the variety of laps he led, he truly earned 4 extra factors over the weekend than O’Ward.

“He’s bought to not end for 2 races, and we’ve bought to be on the rostrum — and even profitable — and possibly we’ll catch a whiff [of him],” O’Ward mentioned. “The longer this championship goes on, the extra you see it not occurring.”

Kyle Kirkwood had entered the weekend 113 factors behind, however he left fourth within the standings, 180 factors again. Scott Dixon, with a second-place end Sunday, moved to 3rd however sits 173 factors behind.

“They’re firing very well and simply doing a greater job than all people else,” Dixon mentioned.

The present automotive additionally appears to suit into Palou’s wheelhouse.

“Alex, when you have a look at driving model, he has a really easy driving model, truly fairly just like Dario [Franchitti],” mentioned Dixon, a six-time sequence champion and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate to Palou. “Whereas with all that weight on the again within the hybrid, it is fairly troublesome for me.

“It is not one thing that feels pure, and I simply agitate the automotive loads with my aggressive sort of model.”

Scott Dixon previous to Race 1 at Iowa Speedway

Issues definitely fell Palou’s means Sunday.

Josef Newgarden appeared to have essentially the most velocity however on his final green-flag pit cease, the warning got here out for a wrecking Callum Ilott. That left Palou within the lead (Palou had not but pitted) and needing to carry off David Malukas, Dixon and Marcus Armstrong.

However Palou was additionally capable of work his means via visitors. After the race on Saturday, his crew opted to give attention to velocity and never gasoline mileage. They turned Palou unfastened and let him race everybody straight up.

“I was passing so many vehicles I felt like I used to be Lightning McQueen or one thing,” Palou mentioned. “It is the primary time that I am not getting overtaken each single lap on a brief oval. It was very enjoyable.

“There was lots of visitors, which was good. It was enjoyable attending to see totally different individuals struggling in several areas. Then you definately would get to a different automotive and he could be operating the road that you simply appreciated, and you then would battle for 5, 10 laps.”

It’s laborious to wipe the smile off Palou’s face as of late. At the same time as he was nervous Friday throughout a twister warning, he tried to smile as his spouse and their child daughter took shelter within the media middle with many INDYCAR crew members.

The crew members most likely figured that if Palou is someplace, it’s secure. He has, in spite of everything, been principally the definition of invincible as of late.

POST-RACE INTERVIEWS: Alex Palou, Scott Dixon & extra after Farm to End 275

POST-RACE INTERVIEWS: Alex Palou, Scott Dixon & more after Farm to Finish 275

“Being right here [in the media center] seeing so many individuals truly makes it really feel safer. And seeing like 90 % of the paddock [being outside] taking footage and movies, a minimum of it makes it seem to be you are not being irresponsible,” Palou mentioned concerning the journey earlier within the weekend.

Go away it to Palou to be accountable.

He has just about taken care of enterprise all 12 months. And he is now eyeing a lofty aim of 10 wins this 12 months, if he wins three of the ultimate 5 occasions.

“I will work towards getting 10, clearly, however I am not waking up and fascinated by getting 10,” Palou mentioned. “I feel it is a fairly sensible aim, and it is — it is three wins.

“It looks like it is ‘solely’ three, however it’s very far. That is the quantity of wins I bought in 2023, and that is yet one more win than I bought in 2024.”

However he already has seven this 12 months.

“Truthfully, it is loopy,” Palou mentioned. “It has been an incredible season. Once I say I do not actually have phrases, it is robust to explain. It is magical.”

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent many years protecting motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Comply with him on Twitter @bobpockrass.