MONTEREY, Calif. — Alex Palou leads the NTT IndyCar Series championship with four races to go for the fourth time in his career.
Palou also led the championship with four races to go in 2021, 2023 and 2024, when he won the title. Palou has led the standings since the beginning of the season.
There are four drivers still mathematically eligible for the championship: Alex Palou, Pato O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood and Scott Dixon. Any driver who trails the points leader by 162 points or more following this race will be eliminated from contention.
• Since the first IndyCar Series race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the winning driver has won the championship in the same season seven times: Bobby Rahal (1986, 1987), Danny Sullivan (1988), Michael Andretti (1991), Alex Zanardi (1998), Cristiano da Matta (2002) and Alex Palou (2024).
• Since 2008 when Indy car racing unified under the IndyCar Series banner, the eventual series champion has won the 14th race of the season four times. The most recent occurrence was in 2021 when Alex Palou won at Portland.
Other drivers to win the 14th race of their championship season were Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Dario Franchitti (2009, 2010) and Scott Dixon (2008).
• Since 2008, the largest deficit overcome by the eventual champion was 59 points by Dario Franchitti in 2010. Scott Dixon overcame Juan Pablo Montoya’s 54-point lead in 2015.
The 99 points separating Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward is the largest point margin with four races remaining since 2008. During that span, the average lead with four races remaining is 43.22 points.
• The Java House Grand Prix of Monterey will be the 28th IndyCar Series race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca but just the sixth since 2004. Teo Fabi won the first race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in 1983. Alex Palou won the race in 2024.
Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Colton Herta are the only former winners entered in this year’s race.
Team Penske has won six times at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Penske’s winning drivers are Danny Sullivan (1988, 1990), Rick Mears (1989), Paul Tracy (1993, 1994) and Helio Castroneves (2000). Chip Ganassi Racing has five wins with Scott Dixon (2023), Alex Palou (2022, 2024), Alex Zanardi (1996) and Jimmy Vasser (1997). Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has three wins with Bryan Herta (1998, 1999) and Max Papis (2001).
• Twenty-four drivers entered in the event have competed in past IndyCar races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Scott Dixon has seven starts, most among the entered drivers.
Nine entered drivers have led laps at the track – Colton Herta 183, Alex Palou 166, Kyle Kirkwood 24, Will Power 23, Dixon 22, Pato O’Ward 15, Felix Rosenqvist 11, Alexander Rossi 10 and Josef Newgarden 10.
Rookies Jacob Abel, Louis Foster and Robert Shwartzman will race an Indy car at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the first time this weekend.
• Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 353rd consecutive start, extending his record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 253rd consecutive start, the third-longest streak in history…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 216th consecutive start, the sixth-longest streak in history.
