Tag: Alex Palou

Palou Still the One to Beat at Detroit

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

Alex Palou was the fastest driver at Detroit in 2023 on the new downtown street circuit. He picked up today right where he left the Motor City, recording the quickest lap in this afternoon’s opening practice session.

Palou thinks the track has improved since last year.

“It was busy,” Palou told Indycar. “I visited the run-off areas a couple of times here and there, just trying to find the limit and the grip of the track. The track is grippier, a lot grippier, than last year. Pretty happy. The car feels good so far.”

This practice period began with a 45-minute session for all drivers and ended with two 10-minute sessions, each with half the field.

Colton Herta led the 45-minute session with a time of 1:02.0219. Palou chopped three tenths from Herta’s time with a lap of 1:01.7210. Pato O’Ward had the second quickest time of 1:01.7315.

Notes

Marcus Ericsson’s difficult month of May continued as he slapped the wall hard with his right rear tire. He was 14th on the speed charts.

Woes continue for car 18. Nolan Siegel crashed attempting to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, and today jack Harvey grazed the inside wall and then slid across the track, hitting the outside wall hard. The right front wheel was torn from the car.

The view on the screen: This track does not present as an attractive venue on television. Granted, downtown Detroit is not that scenic, but the GM Tower and the waterfront could get some more tv time. Perhaps NBC could do with a few (a lot) less on-board camera shots here. The viewer has no idea where the car is, and there is not camera on Atwater with a view of a car zipping along the shore.

Practice resumes tomorrow morning at 9:15 am Eastern with qualifying at 12:15. I will cover the practice, but I will be at commencement for a favorite student of mine. I will watch the replay and post a report tomorrow late afternoon.

Results

Quick Thoughts- Just Another Day at Work for Alex Palou

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

It was a fun race for the first two laps. Christian Lundgaard made a great move to get past Alex Palou and led most of the first half of the race.

Cars were banging into each other, running opponents off the road, and fighting for position. Then the race fell into a processional F1 style event.

the race came down to pit strategy, and that’s where Palou gained the advantage. He made his final stop before his two closest pursuers, Lundgaard and Will Power, and didn’t look back.

Alex Palou talks about his win.

The late yellow was not a problem as Palou pulled away to six second lead a the finish over Power.

Overall, it was a typical IMS road course race, a bland appetizer to what should be a delicious entree in two weeks.

Notes

Josef Newgarden has had two straight finishes below 15th place. His chances of winning the championship are fading quickly.

Colton Herta improved 17 positions to finish seventh.

The last time DHL was the sponsor on a winning car was 2018 at Sonoma. Ryan Hunter-Reay won for Andretti.

Six different teams placed cars in the top 10- Ganassi -3; Penske-2; RLL_ 2; Andretti, McLaren, and MSR 1 each.

Palou leads Power by 12 points in the championship. We have seen this movie before.

Like 2023, Palou has a chance to be the third driver to complete a May sweep. Will Power and Simon Pagenaud accomplished this feat in 2018 and 2019 erespectively.

If your last name begins with P, younhave a great shot at winning this race. Power, POagenaud, and Palou have 10 wins combined on this track.

Thanks for following along this weekend. I can’t wait for the next two weeks.

Palou on Pole

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Photo Kyle McInnes

Alex Palou started the Fast Six Round by going off track into the grass. He came back to win the pole for tomorrow’s Sonsio Grand Prix by edging Christian Lundgaard by 0.09 seconds.

Palou is the defending winner of this race.

Team Penske teammates Will Power and Josef Newgarden will start in row two.

The Fast Six saw four different strategies from the teams, some starting on primaries while others used reds for the entire six minutes. Newgarden started on scuffed reds, then he switched to sticker reds.

Pato O’Ward gambled and waited until the second half of the session to record a lap, He will start fifth.

Lundgaard has a stellar starting record for the grand prix. he has started 4th, 8th, 6th, 1st, 2nd and 2nd.

For the first time this year Felix Rosenqvist did not make it to the final round. He did advance to round 2 and will start 10th.

I will have more tomorrow morning. Thanks for following along today.

Indycar warmup is at 11:15 tomorrow morning and the green flag is at 3:45.

Results:

Palou Stays on Top

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Today’s schedule: All times Eastern

Alex Palou repeated fast time in Friday’s second practice session as the Indycar concluded five total hours of testing at The Thermal Club.

Combined Session results:

Notes

The qualifying rounds have been shortened to 8 minutes from the originally scheduled 10 minutes at the requests of teams and drivers. High tire degradation was the reason for the change.

Felix Rosenquist continues to fit in well with his new team as he was in the top 10 all day.

Callum Ilott is doing a great job for Arrow McLaren filling in for David Malukas.

Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren appear to be the strongest teams so far this weekend,

Palou Leads Test Day 1

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Alex Palou had the day’s quickest time in the first day of Indycar testing at Sebring. Kyle Kirkwood led the morning session. 15 cars tested today.

Jack Harvey waited until the afternoon round to venture out on the 1.65 mile track. The team was conserving their limited tire allotment.

I spent a few hours at the track. It was great to see Indycar back on track and get a look at the new liveries. They are new and different. Please study carefully before your first trip to the track. I spent the first half of the morning wondering, “Who is that?” I had to look at the numbers on the car to figure it out.

Alex Palou in DHL colors is the biggest shocker. I was taken aback when I saw the number 10 where a 28 should have been. I liked most of the new liveries. Teams have freshened up some old looks by flipping the color schemes. Look for lots of white on the front of vars. I counted six cars with a white front extending from the bottom of the aeroscreen to the nose.

Combined results from today:

Tomorrow’s lineup:

O’Ward drove the number 6 car today for the injured David Malukas.

Some photos:

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DHL, Ganassi Sign Multi-Year Agreement

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Chip Ganassi Racing and DHL today announced a multi-year agreement to sponsor Alex Palou in car10. DHL had been a long-time sponsor of car 28 for Andretti Global driven for several years by Ryan Hunter-Reay and in 2022 and 2023 by Romain Grosjean.

The official announcement:

Chip Ganassi Racing and DHL Express today announced a new multi-year partnership, establishing DHL as the primary partner of the No. 10 Honda driven by two-time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou. The new agreement sees the 15-time INDYCAR SERIES champions joining forces with the world’s leading global shipping and logistics company.

Palou and the No. 10 team will kick off their 2024 championship-defending season at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March, just a few hundred miles away from the DHL Regional Headquarters in Plantation, Florida.

“I am extremely proud to welcome DHL to the Chip Ganassi Racing family,” said Chip Ganassi. “It is an honor to partner with an organization that shares our fundamental values of teamwork, growth, responsibility, and the pursuit of excellence. Together, we are committed to embodying those values both on and off the racetrack. I am looking forward to Alex and the No. 10 team defending their 2023 title with DHL on board. The road ahead holds great promise and potential, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Founded in 1969, DHL was established as a courier service that delivered clearance documents between San Francisco and Honolulu by air, so they would arrive at Customs before the freight itself. Today, DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry and one of the most international companies, with about 395,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Chip Ganassi Racing, an organization that has a rich history of success, deeply rooted in principles shared by DHL, such as a commitment to supporting the communities we call home, and the relentless pursuit of excellence by investing in our people who embody speed, passion, and dedication,” said Mike Parra, CEO of DHL Express Americas and Head of Global Sponsorships. “As we sponsor this winning motorsports team with Alex Palou behind the wheel, we look forward to many winning moments both on and off the track in the months and years to come.”

“It’s super exciting to announce our new partnership with DHL, a global leader in logistics. Representing such a successful and widely recognized brand is a true honor,” said Palou. “Their iconic yellow and red colors not only stand out, but they also remind me of my native Spain’s colors. As our team looks back at our remarkable success last year, we are eager to carry that momentum forward and aim for a third title with the support of DHL. I am especially thrilled to hit the ground running alongside the dedicated men and women of our 10-car crew in 2024.”

Palou’s 2023 season was one for the record books, as he became just the sixth driver in the 100-plus-year history of the sport to win multiple championships at 26 or younger (Mario Andretti, Sebastien Bourdais, A.J. Foyt, Sam Hornish Jr., Louis Meyer). He also became the first driver to clinch the championship prior to the season finale since 2007. 

The Barcelona, Spain, native will now be looking to secure a third career championship, something no driver has achieved since his teammate and six-time champion Scott Dixon in 2013 and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Advisor Dario Franchitti in 2010.

Champions Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Take Spotlight at Victory Lap Celebration ; Rasmussen Saluted for INDY NXT by Firestone Title

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INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023) – Alex Palou was honored for his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship during the Victory Lap Celebration on Sept. 21, the headline of an incomparable 2023 season for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Palou dominated this season to earn another title to join his 2021 championship for Chip Ganassi Racing. He won a series-high five races in the No. 10 The American Legion Honda, with a total of 10 podium finishes in 17 races. Palou finished eighth or better in all 17 races this season and became the first INDYCAR SERIES driver to clinch the championship at least one race early since Sebastien Bourdais in 2007.
Spanish driver Palou won the Astor Challenge Cup for the title by 78 points over teammate and six-time series champion Scott Dixon, earning the 15th INDYCAR SERIES championship for Chip Ganassi Racing and the organization’s third in the last four seasons.
Palou was one of six members of Chip Ganassi Racing to receive special honors at the ceremony, which took place at the Gallagher Pavilion at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Marcus Armstrong of New Zealand received the Rookie of the Year Award as the top-finishing first-year driver in the standings. Armstrong scored five top-10 finishes in just 12 starts in the No. 11 Ridgeline Lubricants Honda to surpass full-time rookie Agustin Canapino of Juncos Hollinger Racing by 34 points in the standings.
Team owner Chip Ganassi accepted the Championship Owner Award, and Palou’s chief mechanic, Ricky Davis, was presented the Pennzoil Chief Mechanic Award. Additional season honors for the Ganassi team included the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Team Manager award to Barry Wanser and Blair Julian.
The awards haul was a reward for a dominant year by Indianapolis-based Chip Ganassi Racing. The team achieved the unprecedented feat of taking the top two spots in the driver standings and winning the Rookie of the Year title in one season.
While Palou’s winning margin in the driver standings was the largest since 2016, the Manufacturers Award race came down to the final laps at the season finale Sept. 10 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Chevrolet edged Honda by just 16 points to win its second consecutive engine manufacturer title and eighth overall since it returned to the series in 2012.
Mark Stielow, General Motors director of motorsport competition engineering, accepted the award on behalf of the Chevrolet team.
A successful first season with a rebrand and Firestone sponsorship for INDYCAR’s development series also was recognized at the Victory Lap Celebration, as Christian Rasmussen of HMD Motorsports was honored as 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone champion.
Rasmussen won a series-high five of the 14 races this season in the No. 6 HMD Motorsports with DCR entry. He beat Andretti Autosport’s Hunter McElrea to the title by 65 points.
Danish driver Rasmussen’s HMD teammate, Nolan Siegel, was named INDY NXT by Firestone Rookie of the Year. Siegel, from Palo Alto, California, finished third in the series standings with two victories. 
 

Indycar 2023- Palou Rises Above the Chaos Part 1

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A season which began and ended in chaos had some good racing in between, and produced a champion and runner up who were models of consistency. As in any season, some teams shined, and others disappointed.

Alex Palou ran away with the title, finishing no worse than eighth in any race to fortify his five wins. Teammate Scott Dixon only finished outside of the top seven just one time. That may have been the difference in the championship.

I am always sad to see an Indycar season come to a close, but this off season promises to be very busy. There are still seven to eight seats for 2024 still up for grabs, and testing may be increased as the new hybrid component comes on board. Before we look ahead to 2024 let’s take a look back at the just completed season.

Chaotic Opener and Closer

The season began with a first lap pileup at St. Pete which featured Benjamin Pedersen in the air. The race would have a total of three multicar incidents, but it ended with a great finish as Marcus Ericsson passed Pato O’Ward at the white flag.

The new Detroit Grand Prix had its share of mayhem as well with 32 of the 100 laps run under caution. This track needs some tweaks to be raceable.

Sunday saw 35 of 95 yellow laps as drivers tried to get a handle on the new surface. I felt restart zone could have been in a better spot to prevent crashes when the race resumed.

Ganassi Team Dominates

It’s good to be a Chip Ganassi Racing driver. Alex Palou won five times on the way to the title. Scott Dixon, who looked just average at midseason, won three of the last four races and clinched second in the points at Portland as Palou sealed the title. Marcus Ericsson won a race and finished sixth in the standings. While he did not win a race, Marcus Armstrong won Rookie of the Year despite driving in only 12 races. 2023was a Ganassi sweep.

Rahal Renaissance

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing drivers languished through the first hqalf of the season. Christian Lundgaard won the pole at the GMR Grand Prix in May as the only highlight of the first third of the year.

The embarrassment of Graham Rahal not qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 as the three drivers fought each other for the last sparked immediate changes in the team. Whatever they did wo0rked. Lundgaard won the pole and the race at Toronto. Rahal won two poles in the last four races.

It i difficult to turn a team around in midseason. What RLL did was amazing. They are the team i respect the most this season.

Power Shortage

Will Power did not win a race after winning the championship in 2022. He won just two poles, both at Iowa on an oval. Power, the career leader in poles, made just one Fast Six on road and street courses.

I look for Power to came back with a strong season next year.

Newgarden Wins 500, Sweeps Iowa, Then Fades Away

Josef Newgarden had things going his way the first half of the season. He won the Indianapolis 500, then swept the doubleheader at Iowa. His chance to sweep all the ovals ended with wall contact at World Wide Technology Raceway. It was Newgarden’s second straight 25th place finish, essentially ending his title hopes. Sunday he finished 21st.

Newgarden fell to fifth in the final standings, matching his worst finish in the last four years. He might just win the title in 2024.

New Winners

Despite the dominance of the Ganassi drivers. two drivers joined the winners’ club. Kyle Kirkwood won at Long Beach and Nashville, while Christian Lundgaard took the checkered at Toronto.

There is a lot more to talk about. I will continue the season review later today.

Some Quick Thoughts on Portland

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Alex Palou didn’t need to win today’s race to clinch the championship, but in reality it was the easiest way to do it. His fifth win in 2023 sealed his second championship in three years.

Palou has nine career wins, and has finished no worse than eight this season.

Chip Ganassi Racing has won the season title three of the last four years.

The race was a decent one for Portland. There were many battles throughout the day, and the field didn’t really get strung out until after the halfway mark.

Odd Occurrences

Race control’s pattern of holding the yellow until drivers have a chance to pit has got to stop. When an incident happens and a car is in a dangerous spot, a yellow flag needs to come out immediately. If someone needs to pit so be it. It’s called the breaks of a game.

How was Palou’s move on Ericsson not a block?

It seems as if Indycar has to get tougher on lapped cars moving out of the way. Maybe a rewording of the rue is in order.

Good Drives

David Malukas improved 15 spots to eighth, and led two laps.

Josef Newgarden, fifth, and Rinus VeeKay, sixth, each improved seven positions form the start. Both escaped the first lap scramble in turn 1.

Will Power can’t seem to catch a break this season. After a consistent 2022, Power has had several difficult outings, most of which not of his own doing.

Juri Vips was the top finishing rookie in 18th.

The 29 car jumped into 21st in the Leaders’ Circle. The entrant has a 4 point blead over car 60 with one race to go.

That will do it for me this weekend. Thanks for following along. I have a very flight tomorrow morning . I will have a full weekend warp up late mday or early Tuesday.