MADISON, Ill. — Alex Palou began Saturday at World Wide Technology Raceway expressing that the 1.25-mile short oval is his weakest track.
Over six hours later, Palou scored his fourth-straight NTT INDYCAR SERIES Pole with a two-lap average of 174.353 miles per hour in the No. 10 Honda Racing Corporation Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.
His fourth-straight pole in IndyCar has psychological benefits as it deflates his opponents who thought Sunday night’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 might be a chance to cut into his 62-point lead over Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global and the rest of the NTT IndyCar Series field.
Palou began the day with lower expectations and ended qualifications by overachieving with yet another pole.
When asked if he thought he could win the pole earlier Saturday morning, Palou gave a very Alex-like response.
“Not this morning when I was here at the press conference earlier, no,” Palou said. “You never know. You always want to think that you can make it. Like, that’s always the mindset. Yeah, I was not really confident about it.
“Like, we were shooting for always pole, but I think in my head was more like if it’s great, we can be like top five, P1 or 5. If it’s not, it could be like 12, which I think it happened last year or something.
“Yeah, incredible.”
It was the 17th pole of Palou’s IndyCar Series career. He becomes the first driver in IndyCar history to win four-straight poles since Will Power did it at Team Penske in 2011. That streak included St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Long Beach and Sao Paulo.
Team Penske’s David Malukas was on the pole when he made his attempt at 4:30 p.m. Central Time with just two drivers left to make an attempt. Malukas’ first lap was 173.729 mph, and his second lap was 172.761 mph for a two-lap average of 173.944 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet.
That put Malukas on top. Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global had a two-lap average of 173.206 mph in the No. 27 Honda.
The final driver was Palou, who has become the story of the decade in IndyCar.
Palou’s first lap was 174.985 mph, and it appeared to be game over. His second lap was 173.745 mph, and his two-lap average was 174.353 mph.
That put Palou on Pole for the fourth-straight race.
“I had a strong feeling we weren’t going to get it there because Palou was going last,” Malukas said. “I was saying it earlier, no matter what, if you were to go right now, everyone is going to go quicker and quicker.
“I think for the situation to get P2 that was really good for us. A little unfortunate in the positioning, but overall, the guys did a good job.”
Kirkwood qualified third at 173.206 mph for two laps in the No. 27 Honda followed by Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist’s 172.953 mph two-lap average in the No. 60 Meyer-Shank Racing Honda and Scott McLaughlin’s No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet at 172.869 mph for two laps.
It’s hard to say Palou is an overachiever because he is simply the best in IndyCar in the 2020s with four NTT IndyCar Series Championships including three in a row, 23 wins including the 109th Indianapolis 500 in 2025.
But Palou is now exceling on tracks that he has historically struggled, including the short oval near St. Louis.
“I think this pole, it actually means a lot more than what people might think,” Palou said. “People might think it’s just another pole. For me, it means a lot.
“I’ve been preparing a lot for this race and for this qualifying. I’m very, very happy that it worked out.”
It may have also increased his psychological edge by driving a stake through the heart of his competition, who hoped they could cut into his lead this weekend at Gateway.
“Hopefully,” Palou said. “I would love to (have a psychological advantage). But I think although it’s huge and I’m super pumped, it’s incredible to be on pole, it’s only a pole. Like, I wish it meant more, but it only means I’m going to be super happy going to sleep tonight. I have a fancy hat and another point. Apart of that, that’s it.
“This track in particular, I think it’s been the last 23 years or something I heard that nobody has won from pole, 20 years. I don’t know. Yeah, it doesn’t mean much, although I’m super happy and I wouldn’t change it.”
