It was an encore efficiency by Alex Palou this previous Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park.
The 28-year-old Spaniard and driver of the #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda got here in because the defending race winner and had an almost similar efficiency; beginning on pole, main 79 laps (two lower than final 12 months), and successful by 13.2775s (in comparison with 16.0035 in 2025) over Christian Lundgaard for a second consecutive time. Moreover, similar to final 12 months, the race featured zero cautions.
Palou, the reigning and four-time IndyCar Collection champion, grew to become the primary repeat winner of the season after simply 4 rounds, however remains to be behind within the general standings to Andretti World’s Kyle Kirkwood (156-154).
Whereas the race was comparatively easy, there was nonetheless loads to unpack with the winners and losers from the Alabama circuit. We additionally needed to look past a number of the extra apparent story strains, like Palou’s dominant win or an finish to Graham Rahal’s podium drought, which you’ll be able to examine under:
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WINNER: Christian Lundgaard
Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Photograph by: Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures
If not for an error on the ultimate pit cease on the right-rear of his #7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Lundgaard could have walked out together with his second profession victory. Though the sting of that defeat left him ending a distant second, once more, there was extra on this efficiency as he was capable of legitimately take the struggle to Palou. It’s additionally a very robust day while you cost from tenth to second, and earn a race-high 11 on-track passes on a 2.3-mile, 17-turn street course recognized to have restricted overtaking alternatives.
The consequence bettered the Dane’s third-place end within the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, elevating him to 3rd within the championship.
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LOSER: The remainder of Arrow McLaren
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
Lundgaard saved what was in any other case a depressing day for Arrow McLaren. Each Pato O’Ward and Nolan Siegel went the incorrect approach from the drop of the inexperienced flag, with the 2 ending seventeenth and 18th, respectively, after beginning twelfth and fifteenth. And neither touched the highest 10 all through any a part of the race, even throughout a protracted window of pit cycles.
The outing was particularly weird contemplating final 12 months all three drivers completed within the prime 10, with Siegel additionally making a Quick Six look in qualifying. O’Ward known as this newest version at Barber a “complicated day,” which sums it up completely.
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WINNER: Kyle Kirkwood
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti World w/ Curb-Agajanian
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
There have been loads of questions surrounding Andretti World and Kirkwood coming into the weekend. For Andretti, the group solely had one prime 5 consequence at Barber since 2021 (Romain Grosjean, 2023), and Kirkwood’s highest end on the observe was tenth in 4 begins. Each group and driver put it to relaxation with an uneventful fifth-place end, which stored Kirkwood on prime within the championship standings – the primary time a driver retained the factors lead for consecutive race weekends.
The consequence by the 27-year-old Floridian additionally means he’s the one driver to complete within the prime 5 in all 4 races this season, and carries that momentum into a spot he’s received twice: the Grand Prix of Lengthy Seashore.
Scott McLaughlin, Crew Penske
Photograph by: Michael L. Levitt / Lumen through Getty Pictures
Few in all probability got here into the race weekend with extra optimism than Scott McLaughlin, and rightfully so with two wins (2023, 2024), together with a third-place end a 12 months in the past.
The New Zealander was off to a quick begin by main opening apply and looking out each bit a contender for the win, however then he spun and – virtually – flew backwards off the observe and thru the fencing in Flip 1 through the second apply. The ‘Thirsty 3s’ introduced out a backup automobile for the rest of the weekend, with him qualifying the #3 Crew Penske Chevrolet in 14th.
Not even morning warm-up on race day may assist correctly get the backup automobile in the identical window of tempo as the first machine confirmed, with McLaughlin left ending sixteenth – his worst end at Barber in six begins.
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