ELKHART LAKE – The extra does within the , the much less shocking every accomplishment is to some extent.
In Saturday, June 20, for the , Palou received his fifth straight pole.
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Is {that a} good streak? You wager. That hadn’t been completed since 1998 and matches the fourth-longest streak of all time.
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Was it a shock? If solely as a result of Palou was a tick off within the morning observe, perhaps, however finally not likely.
Palou improved in qualifying in 2025, however together with his sixth pole of the season he already has matched his profession excessive and may have eight extra occasions to pile up some extra.
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Kyle Kirkwood speeds by way of a nook on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Joe Skibinski / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Kyle Kirkwood speeds by way of a nook on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Joe Skibinski / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Alex Palou leaves the pits on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Felix Rosenqvist slides into his automotive on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Joe Skibinski / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Pato O’Ward drives by way of Flip 14 on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Travis Hinkle / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Marcus Armstrong waits to get into his automotive on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Joe Skibinski / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Felix Rosenqvist speeds by way of the woods on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Joe Skibinski / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Graham Rahhal drives into the Carousel on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Chris Jones / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Alexander Rossi prepares to get into his automotive on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Joe Skibinski / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
David Malukas will get into his automotive on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Joe Skibinski / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Scott Dixon drives by way of Flip 12 on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Marcus Armstrong prepares to get into his automotive on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.Marc
(Joe Skibinski / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Will Energy drives by way of Flip 7 on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Chris Jones / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Alex Palou drives by way of the Carousel on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Chris Jones / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Christian Lundgaard will get able to get into his automotive on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Chris Jones / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Santino Ferrucci leads a pack of vehicles into theh Carousel on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Chris Jones / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Indy NXT race winner Lochie Hughes, middle, celebrates with third-place finisher Alessandro de Tullio, left, and runner-up Josh Pierson in addition to the Firehawk mascot on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix weekend, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Travis Hinkle / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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IndyCar qualifying day at Elkhart Lake’s Highway America in photographs
Alex Palou poses together with his Chip Ganassi Racing group after successful the pole on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.Ale
(Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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The 29-year-old four-time sequence champion has an opportunity to tidy up one other line on his résumé Sunday, when he might get away of a tie with Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi to change into Highway America’s all-time Indy-car victory chief.
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That trio every received three within the CART period, which started in 1985. Palou has been on the highest step of the Highway America podium in 2021, ’23 and ’25.
“It’s very cool to listen to that, particularly these names,” Palou mentioned. “All of the names that you just mentioned are enormous legends within the sport. However on the finish of the day, it doesn’t actually change a lot.
“It’s tremendous cool, clearly, and I’d like to have that on our CV once I retire. Nevertheless it’s exhausting. It’s exhausting to get. So hopefully we are able to get it. I’m certain if we get it another person in 10 years or 5 or 6 will get us as effectively.”
The Spaniard lapped the rolling 4.014-mile course in 1 minute 43.6615 seconds in his Chip Ganassi Racing Honda within the remaining spherical of qualifying.
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David Malukas of Group Penske jumped to second together with his lap of 1:43.9542, giving Chevrolet the opposite front-row spot.
Meyer Shank Racing Honda teammates Marcus Armstrong and Felix Rosenqvist comprise the second row. Marcus Ericsson of Andretti World and Scott McLaughlin, certainly one of Malukas’ Penske teammates, will share the third row.
Whereas Palou chases his fifth victory of the season and twenty fifth of his profession, Malukas will once more pursue his first.
Malukas’ got here final month when Rosenqvist bought previous him within the closest end to the Indianapolis 500. He has been on the rostrum on a brief oval (third at Phoenix), a highway course (second within the Indianapolis Grand Prix) and a big oval (second within the 500) however insisted he’s not urgent.
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“If the state of affairs’s there, then nice, we are able to go and get that win,” Malukas mentioned. “On the finish of the day it’s making an attempt to get factors, making an attempt to have a great race. You don’t wish to make silly errors or a silly transfer to be like, I have to get this win so dangerous.
“I do know the time will come. If this race goes to be the one, we’ll go for it. If the state of affairs doesn’t come up, you need to maintain the thoughts calm and picked up, get what we are able to.”
Solely one of many 11 IndyCar Sequence races at Highway America have been received by groups apart from Ganassi or Penske.
The 55-lap XPEL Grand Prix is about for the inexperienced flag about 1:27 p.m. Sunday. Fox tv protection begins at 1.
Alex Palou poses together with his Chip Ganassi Racing group after successful the pole on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.Ale
Is a pole-sitter due for a Highway America IndyCar victory?
Palou will begin from the pole for the primary time in .
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9 of the 11 IndyCar races at Highway America have been received from top-five beginning spots, however solely two winners have began on the pole, the newest being Josef Newgarden in 2018.
Together with the 25 occasions of the CART and Champ Automobile eras, just one has been received by a driver beginning worse than tenth, 2004 by Alex Tagliani.
