Alex Palou dominates Barber Indy Grand Prix, closes gap in standings

Alex Palou delivered another commanding performance at Barber Motorsports Park, winning the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix on Sunday and tightening the NTT INDYCAR SERIES title race in the process.

Starting from pole position, the reigning series champion controlled the race from the outset in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, leading 79 of 90 laps on the 17-turn, 2.3-mile road course. He crossed the finish line 13.2775 seconds ahead of Christian Lundgaard, marking his second victory in four races this season.

“Incredible day,” Palou said. “Qualifying was one of the best car balances I’ve ever driven. Today in the race, it was really good at the end, but we struggled a bit on used tires. Still, another win here. I love this place.”

The margin of victory reflected Palou’s control, even if the race briefly hinted at tension in the middle stages. Running on used Firestone Firehawk primary tires, Palou saw his lead shrink as Lundgaard closed the gap using the faster alternate compound. By Lap 65, the advantage had dropped to around three seconds, setting up what could have been a strategic finish.

Instead, the race turned decisively in the pits.

Palou made his final stop at the end of Lap 65, handing the lead to Lundgaard, who stayed out four additional laps in an attempt to gain track position. When Lundgaard finally pitted on Lap 69, a slow right-rear tire change cost him valuable time. The stop lasted 17.8 seconds, roughly nine seconds longer than expected, dropping him behind Graham Rahal and effectively ending his chances of challenging for the win.

“I think we had the pace,” Lundgaard said. “We were catching him. It’s unfortunate, but these things happen. The team has been strong all season.”

From that point, Palou regained control and never looked back. He built a gap of more than 10 seconds over Rahal and managed the closing laps in a caution-free race, securing his third career victory at Barber.

The track has become a consistent stronghold for Palou. He also won at Barber in 2021 and 2025, and notably went on to secure the series championship in both of those seasons. With Sunday’s result, he remains second in the standings but has cut the deficit to leader Kyle Kirkwood from 26 points to just two.

Behind Palou, the battle for the podium provided the most competitive moments of the race. Rahal held second place following Lundgaard’s pit stop issues, but Lundgaard recovered quickly and began to apply pressure in the final stint.

With three laps remaining, Lundgaard made a decisive move in Turn 5, diving underneath Rahal to reclaim second position. It capped a race-high 11 on-track passes for Lundgaard, including seven within the top 10.

“At the end of the day, I wanted to get back by Graham,” Lundgaard said. “Just to show we still had it.”

Rahal ultimately secured third place, marking his first podium finish since August 2023 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. The result provided a positive step forward for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing after a challenging stretch.

“I felt like this was coming,” Rahal said. “We’ve been building toward this, and it feels good to finally put it together.”

David Malukas continued his steady start with Team Penske, finishing fourth in the No. 12 Chevrolet. He has now recorded top-six finishes in three of his first four races with the team, reinforcing his early-season consistency.

Kirkwood, who entered the race as the championship leader, rounded out the top five in the No. 27 Andretti Global Honda. Despite missing out on the podium, his finish allowed him to retain the points lead, albeit by a significantly reduced margin.

Palou’s performance once again highlighted his ability to control races from the front. Leading nearly every lap and managing tire strategy effectively, he maintained a level of consistency that has defined his recent success.

The absence of caution periods also played into his hands. Without interruptions, strategy and execution became the deciding factors, and Palou’s team delivered on both fronts.

As the season progresses, the result adds another layer to the championship picture. With two wins in four races and momentum building, Palou has positioned himself firmly in contention for a fourth consecutive series title.

At Barber, he once again set the standard.