INDYCAR: UNSTOPPABLE PALOU DOMINATES LAGUNA SECA, NEARS FOURTH TITLEAlex Palou continues to rewrite the IndyCar script with yet another commanding performance. At Laguna Seca—a legendary and unforgivi

Alex Palou continues to rewrite the IndyCar script with yet another commanding performance. At Laguna Seca—a legendary and unforgiving circuit—the Spanish driver dominated from start to finish, wrapping up a flawless weekend despite multiple race interruptions. The victory pushes him to the brink of his fourth IndyCar title, which he could clinch as early as Portland in two weeks, with two rounds still to go.

The race sparked into life from the very first lap. A collision between Kyffin Simpson and Felix Rosenqvist triggered an early caution and forced Rosenqvist to retire—just a week after scoring his first podium in Toronto. At the restart, Palou immediately capitalized on his soft tires, opening a gap to the field. Behind him, Colton Herta—who had started on the harder compound—quickly took second from Pato O’Ward, who looked less sharp than in recent races.

That pattern would repeat throughout the race: five full-course cautions interrupted the rhythm, including incidents like Jacob Abel’s crash and a contact between Rinus Veekay and Kyle Kirkwood, the latter earning a penalty for rear-ending his rival. Amidst the chaos, Scott Dixon mounted one of his signature comebacks, climbing up from 19th on the grid, while Marcus Ericsson spun with 20 laps to go, momentarily bunching up the field once more.

But none of those interruptions shook Palou’s composure. Each restart saw him rebuild his lead with clinical ease. Christian Lundgaard came home second, continuing his strong form, while Herta secured the final podium spot with a performance as solid as his qualifying run.

There was disappointment for Pato O’Ward, whose fourth-place finish likely puts an end to his championship hopes. Rounding out the top five was veteran Scott Dixon, who delivered a strong second half of the race.

The pleasant surprise of the day came from Callum Ilott, who brought Prema Racing’s No. 90 car home in sixth. It was another leap forward after a strong showing in Toronto, signaling the team’s upward trajectory—even after a tough qualifying session.

Will Power could only manage seventh, the best of the Penske drivers, followed by Marcus Armstrong, Christian Rasmussen, and Scott McLaughlin—who managed to finish ahead of teammate Josef Newgarden despite starting behind him. It was a tough day for Kirkwood, who finished 16th after his penalty and is now mathematically out of the title fight. Robert Shwartzman wrapped up a quiet weekend with a 21st-place finish in the second Prema entry.

With a 108-point lead in the standings, Palou could seal the title in Portland simply by maintaining the gap. And judging by the pace he showed in California, stopping him looks nearly impossible.

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