Historic Indianapolis 500 Win Sets the Stage for NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Title Battle

They watched Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou earn his first Indianapolis 500 win to become the first driver from Spain to be immortalized on the Borg Warner trophy. Palou has been dominant on road and street courses while winning three of the last four NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship titles, but this marked his first-ever victory on an oval track. The win was also his fifth in the first six races of the 2025 season, giving Palou a substantial early lead in the championship standings.

With Palou’s win, Firestone earned its 76th victory at "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing". That number is more than twice as many Indy 500 wins as all other tyre manufacturers combined, carrying on a legacy that started with a win in the inaugural race at the Brickyard in 1911.

The action didn’t slow down after the Indy 500 as the following weekend the NTT INDYCAR SERIES headed straight to the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix for an action-packed race on the downtown streets.

Kyle Kirkwood earned the win in Detroit to score his second victory of the year after driving to the top spot on the podium on the streets of Long Beach just ahead of Palou. Kirkwood and Palou are the are the only drivers to have won races this season.

For his part, Palou saw his race end prematurely after contact with another competitor and a tire barrier. Despite the setback, Palou holds a 90-point lead in the championship over second place after seven races.

The fact that the gap between second and tenth in the standings is nearly equal to Palou's lead underscores the competitive nature of the series, where points are hard-fought and positions can shift quickly. With every race carrying major implications, the final 10 races over the next 12 weeks promise intense on-track battles, fierce competition and a championship fight that’s not yet settled.