WASHINGTON — Alex Palou is closing in on a fifth IndyCar Series championship and could even clinch it this weekend in the nation’s capital.
So far, the Spanish star for Chip Ganassi Racing shown no signs of slowing down.
Palou won his seventh pole position of the season Saturday, topping qualifying for Sunday’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix. The 29-year-old from Barcelona leads the standings by 133 points with four races remaining. If that lead reaches 163 at the end of Sunday’s race, he would clinch the series title.
“I’m really thinking about the race more than the championship,” said Palou, who won his first season title in the American open-wheel series in 2021 and is seeking his fourth straight championship. “Obviously getting both at the same time would be incredible.”
Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood had the fastest qualifying lap overall, 56.7729 seconds, but that was in the first round. Once qualifying was cut down to the final group of six, Palou’s time of 56.8993 beat Kirkwood by over a half-second.