Palou secures third IndyCar title
09/15/2024 05:30 PM
Alex Palou has won the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series championship.
Settled at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway, the 27-year-old from Spain joins an exclusive group of those who've won three or more IndyCar titles, led by A.J. Foyt with seven, Scott Dixon with six, Mario Andretti, Sebastien Bourdais and Dario Franchitti with four, and now Palou who has three along with Jimmy Bryan, Ted Horn, Rick Mears, Louis Meyer, Al Unser and Bobby Rahal.
Palou's name has also been added to a truly exclusive group of drivers to secure three titles in four years with Bourdais (2004-07), Bryan (1954, 1956-57), Foyt (1960-61, 1963-64), Franchitti (2009-11), and Mears (1979, 1981-82).
Palou's Astor Cups span 2021, 2023, and 2024, and with teammate Dixon's championship in 2020, his Ganassi team has claimed four titles in five seasons. Palou's newest crown is the 16th for Ganassi since the team's formation.
The championship battle between Palou and Team Penske’s Will Power was turned on its head on lap 12 when Power reported his lap belt had come undone. He’d pit and lose five laps as his No. 12 Chevy pit crew fought to re-attach the main harness that holds drivers into the car. Palou improved from his 24th-place starting spot and was competitive throughout the day on his way to becoming IndyCar’s newest champion with an 11th-place finish.
Full race report will follow.
