Àlex Palou is on the verge of something truly legendary. He’s sitting just one incredible win away from clinching a near fourth-consecutive INDYCAR title, and it all comes down to the inaugural Freedom 250 this Sunday.
He Just Keeps Proving Us All Wrong
This guy has been the absolute driver to beat all season long, no question. Palou hasn’t just been good; he’s been lights-out dominant, racking up wins at the Grand Prix St. Petersburg, Grand Prix of Long Beach, Detroit Grand Prix, Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, and then most recently, he absolutely crushed it at the Grand Prix of Portland. That Portland victory shot him to a massive 542-point lead over Kyle Kirkwood, who’s way back at 409 points. When Christian Lundgaard hopped on First Things First, he didn’t mince words about Palou’s incredible run. “He has proven well enough by now that he’s not going to crack under pressure. We can try as hard as we want…To catch him it is mathematically possible,” Lundgaard said. He even went so far as to call Palou “probably the best INDYCAR driver the series has seen… He just keeps proving us all wrong.” What else do you need to hear? Palou’s the favorite to take home his seventh win of the season, and honestly, who’s gonna argue?
One Race, One Shot, And Kirkwood’s Last Stand
So, here’s the deal for the Freedom 250: If Palou snags that first-place finish, and Kyle Kirkwood ends up ninth or lower, the title is Palou’s. Done deal. Finito. Kirkwood might be sitting in second place overall, but he’s got a massive mountain to climb. His last win was all the way back in Arlington in March. And let’s be real, his performance at Markham, starting 22nd and finishing 21st, doesn’t exactly scream “comeback king” for this weekend. Palou’s got three more shots at the title if this Sunday doesn’t go his way, Milwaukee Mile Race 1 and 2 and the Grand Prix of Monterey, but why wait? The chance to cement this thing now, in the first-ever Freedom 250, is just too good.
The green flag for the main race in Washington D.C. is expected to wave around 1:13 p.m. ET this Sunday, with coverage starting on FOX at 11:30 a.m. ET. Get ready, because Palou is coming for that trophy, and the rest of the field is just trying to hang on. You don’t want to miss this one!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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