The Pacific Northwest was Alex Palou’s private playground as soon as once more, with the Spaniard coasting to victory within the Grand Prix of Portland.
Regardless of falling to 3rd in the course of the opening stint of the 110-lap race, Palou utilized his basic overcut and stayed out a lap longer than pole-sitter Felix Rosenqvist to vault to the highest spot after the primary inexperienced flag pit cycle. From there, Palou maintained management of the race and saved his #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda out entrance for 60 laps en path to a 4.1167s victory of the Swede.
There have been 119 complete passes, with 94 of these for place round Portland Worldwide Speedway’s 12-turn, 1.964-mile pure terrain street course. Moreover, there have been 9 lead modifications amongst 4 drivers.
Listed here are the winners and losers from the thirteenth spherical of the season.
Winner: Alex Palou
The reigning and four-time IndyCar Sequence champion, Palou’s scientific drive delivered his sixth victory of the season and prolonged his stranglehold within the title race to a 110-point benefit with 5 races remaining. The outcome additionally marked his third victory – and fifth podium – in six begins at Portland.
Loser: Graham Rahal
There was optimism coming into the weekend for Graham Rahal, with Portland being a observe he’s loved two prime fives and 4 prime 10s since 2021. And whereas that was furthered after qualifying eighth, it shortly unraveled because the Ohio native dropped wheels in Flip 11 and drifted off beam and into the Flip 12 tire barrier on Lap 6. Though he was capable of proceed on, his #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda was unable to make up any floor and settled for twenty third; making it the fifth consecutive race Rahal has completed exterior the highest 10 since ending third on the streets of Detroit in late Might.
Winner: Rinus VeeKay
Rinus VeeKay, Juncos Hollinger Racing
Picture by: Perry Nelson / Lumen through Getty Photographs
Rinus VeeKay continued to push Juncos Hollinger Racing to the entrance of the grid, qualifying a season-best fifth and capturing a fourth-place end. The outing got here with a late strategic play to vault forward of Andretti World’s duo of Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson, and positioned behind their different teammate, Will Energy. The Dutchman has now scored 4 prime 4 finishes over the past 5 races, with two extra prime 10s on the yr that has him firmly sitting tenth within the championship standings. The three prime fives additionally ties a career-best mark in a season, having beforehand achieved that feat in 2020 (his rookie season) and 2022, respectively, when he drove for Ed Carpenter Racing.
Along with his title circling the rumor mill, together with Christian Lundgaard, because it relates the the soon-to-be-vacated #9 Chip Ganass Racing Honda, VeeKay’s newest effort definitely didn’t damage his possibilities.
Loser: Marcus Armstrong
Whereas his teammate Rosenqvist stood on the rostrum, Marcus Armstrong suffered the darkish aspect of the outcomes desk. Suffering from poor stability in qualifying that left him twentieth on the grid, his race lasted simply 33 laps earlier than an engine downside on his #66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda compelled him into an early retirement. Recording the afternoon’s sole retirement, Armstrong’s streak of technical setbacks continued to undermine what had been a promising summer season marketing campaign.
Winner: Felix Rosenqvist
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank w/ Curb-Agajanian
Picture by: Perry Nelson / Lumen through Getty Photographs
Felix Rosenqvist laid down an announcement early by snatching pole place and main the opening 31 laps with uncooked, unbothered tempo. Whereas Palou’s pit timing finally jumped him, Rosenqvist by no means wavered, preserving his #60 Meyer Shank Honda inside putting distance and gained noticeable floor on Palou whereas on the softer alternate tire compound.
Regardless of being sure for Arrow McLaren subsequent yr, the Swede continues to push for the utmost this season, with the runner-up outcome his greatest since successful the Indianapolis 500. He now has three podiums on the season, with one extra prime 5 and 6 prime 10s to carry sixth within the championship standings.
Loser: Scott Dixon
Whereas Palou celebrated in victory lane, his legendary Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon endured an uncharacteristically invisible afternoon. Dixon began eleventh and by no means discovered the tempo or fuel-saving rhythm to make ahead progress. Caught in site visitors trains and missing top-end tempo on the entrance stretch, the six-time champion slowly drifted backward, crossing the road a quiet 14th on a observe the place he often excels.
To make issues worse, Dixon has now completed exterior the highest 10 in seven consecutive races and sits twelfth within the championship standings. And whereas the New Zealander edges teammate Kyffin Simpson with a third-place end (Lengthy Seashore) in comparison with fourth (Street America), he truly trails the Caymanian when it comes to prime 10 outcomes: Dixon has 5 to Simpson’s six.
Winner: Christian Lundgaard
Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren
Picture by: Perry Nelson / Lumen through Getty Photographs
Electrical points, together with hybrid issues, plagued Lundgaard’s qualifying effort and left him beginning final (twenty fifth) at a observe notoriously difficult to cross on. Nonetheless, the Dane carved ahead with relentless overtaking maneuvers and distinctive stint size on the first tire compound. Gaining 16 positions – greater than another driver within the area – he salvaged a top-10 end from a race that simply may have been a complete loss, and was the brilliant spot for what was a tough weekend collectively for Arrow McLaren. He continues to sit down fourth within the title race and now holds a 20-point benefit over teammate Pato O’Ward.
Loser: David Malukas
Malukas’ race was successfully compromised earlier than the inexperienced flag dropped. Pressured into an unapproved engine change following his heavy crash in opening apply from the earlier spherical in Nashville, Malukas needed to swallow a compulsory six-place grid penalty. Left beginning fifteenth within the #12 Group Penske Chevrolet, he spent his stints battling soiled air and gas targets, unable to interrupt greater than twelfth when the checkered flag fell. The outcome dealt an enormous blow to his place within the championship standings, dropping him down one spot to 3rd, however much more bothersome shedding vital floor – 83 factors to 118 – behind Palou.
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