Alex Palou has positioned his identify among the many listing of all-time greats of IndyCar lore by claiming his third sequence championship after a wild season finale at Nashville Superspeedway.
The Spaniard prevailed with an Eleventh-place end after 206 laps on the 1.33-mile oval on Sunday, which proved sufficient as his closest rival, Will Energy, noticed hopes dashed when his seat belt got here free and in the end led to his No. 12 Crew Penske Chevrolet fading to twenty fourth, eight laps down.
“Effectively, in the beginning I needed to go for it,” Palou mentioned. “I needed to take some possibilities on the beginning making an attempt to make up some room. Simply beginning to date again, we would have liked to achieve.
“The whole lot was working proper. As much as fifteenth or sixteenth, one thing like that, which was already step. Then I noticed the 12 going into pit lane. At first I used to be like, ‘Oh, what technique are they going to tug off?’
“Sadly that is not the best way clearly you need your greatest competitor to go down on the season finale. On the identical time that is what occurred to us two weeks in the past, so… Yeah, it is racing. It is motorsport. That is what makes this sport so onerous.
“After that we had been doing our personal race. Clearly maintaining a tally of the No. 12 automobile, however simply making an attempt to maneuver ahead.”
Champion Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Picture by: Penske Leisure
In claiming his second consecutive title, Palou turns into the primary to go back-to-back since Dario Franchitti pulled off a three-peat from 2009-11. Moreover, being 27 years, 5 months and 14 days outdated, Palou turned the second-youngest driver to say three championships; Sam Hornish Jr. holds the document because the youngest at 27 years, two months and eight days in 2006.
This outing additionally continues to point out the energy of Chip Ganassi Racing, who now have earned 16 titles, together with 4 over the previous 5 seasons.
Whereas Palou is relishing his third title, although, this one stands aside for one vital motive: it’s his first as a father.
Champion Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Picture by: Penske Leisure
“They are saying profitable is the perfect factor in life, which I agree,” Palou mentioned. “They are saying being a dad is the perfect factor in life, which I double agree. However while you do each in the identical 12 months, it is actual tremendous particular.
“It has been an incredible 12 months of studying, clearly. Perhaps sleeping slightly bit much less. Not with the ability to be on the simulator as a lot as I used to at house, enjoying video video games.
“It has been superb. I would not change something that I am residing for the time being. It was the perfect factor to have her at my first win this 12 months on the Indy highway course, to have her at present celebrating.”
With that, although, Palou additionally admitted that he already talked to Franchitti, who stays a key a part of CGR in a driver coach position.
“Yeah, he nonetheless jogged my memory that he did it as soon as extra,” Palou mentioned. “So, I nonetheless have yet one more 12 months to catch him. Hopefully we are able to.”
