Only four races remain in the NTT IndyCar Series season and points leader Alex Palou continues to hold a firm grip on the top spot as the season winds down.Â
This weekend, the open-wheel series shares the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course with NASCAR’s top two divisions, creating a packed slate at the Brickyard.Â
After the final street race of the season in Nashville, Tenn., Palou extended his points lead to 84 markers over Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden.Â
Here are some storylines to watch this weekend:
Quick Facts
Most Wins: Will Power (5)
Distance: 85 Laps / 207.32 miles
Qualifying Record: Will Power, 1:07.7044, 129.687 mph, May 12, 2017Â
Most Lead Changes: 12, May 10, 2014
Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 319th consecutive start, which would break a tie with Tony Kanaan for the IndyCar Series record streak.Â
Palou’s Winning Record
The 2021 IndyCar champion heads to Indy as the most recent winner on the Indy Road Course after dominating the GMR Grand Prix in May.Â
While his title competitor, Newgarden, has won two of the last three races on the schedule, Palou’s ultra-consistent drives have kept him on top of the championship standings.
Since his three-race win streak was snapped after he won at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in July, Palou hasn’t finished worse than eighth. To add to his impressive stretch, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver tallied three podiums in the four races preceding his last victory.Â
Needless to say, Palou’s consistency has been nearly impossible to match all season.Â
Newgarden In Need Of ResultsÂ
The Team Penske driver got a huge boost after his sweep of the Iowa Speedway doubleheader in July, though he’ll need more than that to catch Palou in the title chase.
Last week in the dire stages of the Music City Grand Prix, Newgarden was unable to make a move on Palou for the final podium position, forcing the 32-year-old to settle for fourth.Â
In a title fight where every position matters, Newgarden is in need of victories and a falter from Palou and the No. 10 team.Â
With an average finish of 11.1 on the Indy Road Course, Newgarden’s track record has been a mixed bag. Fortunately for the Team Penske driver, a win in 2020 could help water the seed for a win on Saturday.Â
One Last Shot For Dixon?
Dixon’s hunt for a seventh IndyCar championship may hinge on his performance this weekend at Indianapolis. Currently 126 points behind teammate Palou, Dixon will need to compile a string of victories to work his way back into contention.Â
With only four races remaining, Dixon’s streak of winning at least one race in 18 consecutive seasons is in jeopardy. Despite not having a win thus far, Dixon’s season has gone under the radar amidst Palou’s tear on the field.
Through 13 races, Dixon boasts an average finish of 6.5 — tied for the second best among his competitors.Â
Heading to Indy, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver has room for optimism with an average finish of 7.6 on the IMS Road Course along with one victory in 2020 at Indy.Â
Indy may be the shot in the arm Dixon needs to reignite his title chase.Â
A Grosjean Triumph On The Horizon?
It’s been a long time coming for Romain Grosjean to break into the IndyCar win column.Â
Embarking on his third season with the North American open-wheel series, the Andretti Autosport driver has six podiums to his name, though has yet to reach the top step.
Two of his podium finishes came at the Indy Road Course in 2021 with a pair of second-place finishes while driving for Dale Coyne Racing.Â
To date, his season has been a bit of a rough one as he sits 13th in the standings with two podium finishes. However, his sixth-place result at Nashville last week may spark momentum for the 37-year-old Frenchman.Â