INDIANAPOLIS — Alex Palou took the ceremonial swig of milk in victory lane on the Indianapolis 500. He allowed his spouse to have a sip, she in flip gave a sip to their child, and group proprietor Chip Ganassi ended up with the bottle and took a drink, as effectively.
Then, the primary Spaniard to win “The Biggest Spectacle in Racing” took a victory lap with them round Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the back of a pickup truck. At one level, Palou climbed onto its roof and raised his arms in triumph, the profitable wreath draped round his neck. He briefly misplaced his stability and Ganassi instinctively reached out to seize his star driver.
No want.
Palou hardly ever makes a unsuitable transfer.
“All my household round, it is superb, actually,” he stated, smiling. “All of the group round, they make me look actually good on the observe.”
Palou got here to the speedway because the two-time defending IndyCar champion — he has three titles in 4 years — and had opened this 12 months with victories in 4 of the primary 5 races. It is the type of begin not seen since 1964, when A.J. Foyt gained the primary seven races of the season, together with the Indy 500.
However it was Sunday’s race that Palou had circled on his calendar. With out an Indy 500 win, he stated, his profession can be incomplete.
He was in fuel-saving mode over the closing laps, following former Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Marcus Ericsson. Palou acquired bored with staying put with 16 laps remaining and charged forward — a transfer Ericsson stated “will preserve me up at night time. What I did and what I did not do.” Palou was by no means challenged from there, taking the checkered flag as a crash introduced out a warning.
He stopped the automobile simply past the Yard of Bricks, climbing out of it and practically shedding his stability as he raised his arms in triumph. Palou jumped down and took off in a run down the entrance stretch, pulling off his gloves and tossing them behind him, and finally was engulfed by his father, Ramon, and his group in a jubilant celebration.
Scott Dixon gave him a giant hug, as did Dario Franchitti, because the Ganassi Indy 500 winners welcomed him to an unique membership.
“I can’t consider it. What a tremendous day. What a tremendous race,” Palou stated. “I can’t consider it. It was powerful. Robust circumstances on the market, particularly for those who have been like, third or fourth within the pack. Even main, the gasoline consumption was tremendous excessive, in order that they did not need me to steer. I wished to steer, actually, so yeah, made it occur.”
In the meantime, Ericsson climbed from his automobile in pit lane and pressed his arms to his face, the frustration of coming oh-so-close to a second Indianapolis 500 victory etched throughout his face. David Malukas was third for A.J. Foyt Racing.
“It is fairly painful,” Ericsson stated of his second profession Indy 500 runner-up end. “I want to have a look at it once more. You replay it in your head one million occasions after the end, questioning what I might have carried out in a different way. Second means nothing on this race.”
Josef Newgarden‘s bid to win three consecutive Indy 500s ended with a gasoline pump concern. He was making an attempt to change into the primary driver to return from the again row to win as a result of he and Crew Penske teammate Will Energy have been dropped to the again of the sector for failing inspection earlier than the ultimate rounds of qualifying.
Energy wound up nineteenth, the highest-finishing Penske driver on a depressing day for the group owned by Roger Penske. He earlier this week fired his prime three IndyCar executives for a second technical infraction in simply over a 12 months and has needed to defend the optics of his groups failing inspections when he additionally owns IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500.
Penske has gained the Indy 500 a report 20 occasions.
It was the sixth Indy 500 win for Ganassi, who has been on a dominating wave since hiring Palou earlier than the 2021 season. Palou gained the championship in his first 12 months with the group, added two extra titles, and now appears on tempo for a fourth one.
“The man is simply unbelievable. I do not know what else to say,” Ganassi stated. “It’s an unimaginable factor. [The Indy 500] goes to make Alex Palou’s profession. It’ll make his life. And it has definitely made mine.”
Pato O’Ward completed fourth — the fifth time in six profession begins the Mexican has completed sixth or increased.
Kyle Larson will not full “The Double” after crashing out of the Indianapolis 500 earlier than he headed to North Carolina to compete within the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race.