Pato O’Ward absolutely lit up The Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, grabbing not one but two wins in a single day, a super rare feat in INDYCAR. The catch? Alex Palou was simultaneously celebrating his fifth INDYCAR title. Let that sink in: O’Ward had a career day, but Palou still stands tall as champion, having locked up his fourth consecutive title and fifth in six years.
O’Ward’s Glory Day Versus a Dominant Reign
This double-win for O’Ward was a spectacular moment in what he himself described as “anything but glorious” season. He’s had three podium finishes this year, all wins, across 17 races. He said the whole year he’d “just been waiting, waiting, waiting,” and it “never kind of came to us and just kept slipping here and there.” He admitted he felt “a little bit of a lost puppy really” for the rest of the year. But man, did he show up in Milwaukee! It was a rain-delayed Saturday race completed Sunday, and O’Ward swept both. After the race, O’Ward fired off a warning to the champ, saying, “If I keep doing that every race, for sure he’s got no chance. I’ll tell him, ‘Enjoy looking at my rear wing.’ But right now I’ve been looking at his.” He knows Palou and his Chip Ganassi Racing team “deliver and they execute,” acknowledging Palou “doesn’t have the best car everywhere,” but “does some pretty magical things in it.” Even though Palou makes mistakes like everyone, O’Ward pointed out the champ “could always back it up with a win.” It is just insane.
Are Any Young Guns Ready to Challenge?
So, with Palou at 29 years old and having cemented his dynasty, did Milwaukee offer any real signs for the future? We saw some flashes. David Malukas, still searching for his first win after three second-place finishes and a total of five podiums this year, again showed he’s a serious threat. Christian Lundgaard, whose oval performance has been his weakest discipline, incredibly placed third and fifth in the two Milwaukee races. That was enough for him to pass Kyle Kirkwood for second in the standings. Lundgaard, who’s won two road course races this season, is on the move, though. He won’t return to Arrow McLaren, which chose to hire six-time champ Scott Dixon and Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist. Lundgaard is expected to replace Dixon at Chip Ganassi Racing next year, so keep an eye on that move. Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan praised him, saying “Christian also did a fantastic job.” Rinus VeeKay finished third in the finale, and Scott McLaughlin, the only driver over 27 in this emerging group, snagged a second and a fourth. Was Milwaukee a true sign of what’s to come, or did Palou just play it safe since the upcoming season finale at Laguna Seca would have wrapped up his title regardless? The debate is on!
What’s next? The season finale is this upcoming weekend at Laguna Seca. O’Ward wants to “end [the year strong] and kind of just pick it back up.” After the Milwaukee fireworks, can these young drivers sustain that pressure? Or will Palou just keep cruising to more titles? We will all be watching.
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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