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Palou Wins Nashville After Perfectly Timed Pit to Stretch IndyCar Lead

His fifth victory of the season gives him an 83-point cushion with six races left and strengthens his bid for a fourth straight title.

Overview

  • Alex Palou, which won Monday, entered pit lane three-tenths of a second before a caution and was cycled into the lead, then held off Josef Newgarden by 0.8731 seconds to take the win.
  • David Malukas rebounded from a heavy practice crash and a hospital visit to start 25th, lead 59 laps and charge to a hard-earned third-place podium.
  • The race was unusually active on track, recording 395 total passes, 246 passes for position and 11 lead changes among seven drivers, with multiple cautions forcing teams to adapt strategy.
  • Kyle Kirkwood started on pole and led 24 laps but lost track position when a yellow flag came out while he was pitting and recovered to finish 10th.
  • Palou’s win marked his 50th career podium, his third oval victory, and delivered Chip Ganassi Racing’s 150th IndyCar win, leaving him well positioned in the championship with the series resuming after a short break.