WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Alex Palou leads the NTT IndyCar Series championship with three races to go for the fourth time in his career.
Palou also led the championship with three races to go in his championship-winning seasons in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Palou has led the point standings after 11 of the 15 races this season.
Palou is attempting to win his fifth NTT IndyCar Series championship and tie Sebastien Bourdais’ record of four consecutive titles (2004-07). If Palou clinches Saturday, he would be the first driver to clinch IndyCar championships with two races remaining in consecutive seasons.
There are five drivers still mathematically eligible for the championship: Alex Palou, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard, David Malukas and Pato O’Ward.
Any driver who trails the points leader by 108 points or more following the race will be eliminated from contention.
• Since the first IndyCar at Milwaukee in 1939, 19 drivers have won the Milwaukee Mile in their championship-winning seasons: Will Power (2014), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Dario Franchitti (2011), Sebastien Bourdais (2006), Al Unser Jr. (1990, 1994), Nigel Mansell (1993), Michael Andretti (1991), Johnny Rutherford (1980), A.J. Foyt (1964, 1980), Joe Leonard (1972), Al Unser (1970), Mario Andretti (1966), Rodger Ward (1959, 1962), Jimmy Bryan (1956), Chuck Stevenson (1952), Tony Bettenhausen (1951), Johnnie Parsons (1949), Ted Horn (1947) and Rex Mays (1941).
• Since 2008, the driver who has led the championship with three races to go has won the championship 12 times – Scott Dixon in 2008, 2018 and 2020, Dario Franchitti in 2011, Will Power in 2014 and 2022, Simon Pagenaud in 2016, Josef Newgarden in 2017 and 2019 and Alex Palou in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
• The 91 points that separate Alex Palou and Kyle Kirkwood are the third-largest point margin since 2008. Prior to this season, the average lead with three races to go since 2008 was 39.1 points.
• The Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250 and Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 will be the 16th and 17th races of the season. There have been seven winners in 15 IndyCar races this season.
Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Streets of Long Beach, Streets of Detroit, Nashville Superspeedway, Portland International Raceway), Josef Newgarden (Phoenix Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway), Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Arlington, Streets of Washington, D.C.), Christian Lundgaard (Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Road America), Felix Rosenqvist (Indianapolis 500), Pato O’Ward (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course) and Marcus Ericsson (Streets of Markham) have all won in 2026.
• The Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250 and Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 will be the fifth and sixth oval races of the schedule.
• Drivers from three different teams won the first four oval races: Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden (Phoenix Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway), Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian’s Felix Rosenqvist (Indianapolis 500) and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou (Nashville Superspeedway).
• The Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250 and Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 will be the 117th and 118th IndyCar events at the Milwaukee Mile. Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin, Pato O’Ward, Will Power and Christian Rasmussen are the only entered drivers to have won at Milwaukee.
• Twenty-two drivers have previous starts at Milwaukee Mile – Scott Dixon has 15 starts, most of all drivers. Nine drivers have led laps at the track (Will Power 306, Alex Palou 199, Dixon 190, Scott McLaughlin 165, Pato O’Ward 133, Josef Newgarden 113, Alexander Rossi 46, David Malukas 25, Christian Rasmussen 16, Marcus Armstrong 8, Santino Ferrucci 6, Graham Rahal 5, Louis Foster 1 and Felix Rosenqvist 1).
