The NTT IndyCar Series is now on something of a break. After four races in five weeks, this upcoming two-weekend break is well-earned. I’m also assuming this will be welcomed by the teams, with the grueling Month of May looming ahead. The Month of May actually gets an early start in April with the upcoming Open Test on the IMS oval on April 28-29. Continue reading
Barber Motorsports Park is quickly becoming the playground for Alex Palou. In the past two visits by the NTT IndyCar Series to the 2.3-mile natural terrain road course, Palou has barely broken a sweat as he drove off and left the field to battle for second place. Last year, Palou won by sixteen seconds. Yesterday, he won by more than thirteen seconds. His domination became so tiresome, his assumed win was such a foregone conclusion that the FOX TV booth turned their attention entirely to the podium battle between Christian Lundgaard, Graham Rahal and David Malukas; who finished second, third and fourth respectively.
Over two weeks have passed since I’ve been here. In that time, a third race at a brand-new venue was run. Also, Susan and I have traveled far and wide for our celebratory retirement cruise. We are now facing the fourth NTT IndyCar Series race in the past five weekends. The season is marching along and it is still March.
This is a long and way too drawn out explanation as to why I will have no posts here before or after the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington this weekend. My next post will be the Friday of the Barber weekend on Mar 27-29. If that’s all you care about, I’ll save you the trouble and will see you here then. If you care to learn why, read on…
Last week, Alex Palou screamed “we are so back” as he crossed the finish line to take the checkered-flag. The thought occurred to me that he had not gone anywhere, since the last time we saw him – he was hoisting the Astor Challenge Trophy in Nashville.
Before we are able to fully digest the season-opener at St. Petersburg, the NTT IndyCar Series heads to Phoenix for a double-header weekend with NASCAR at the 1.0-mile reconfigured oval at Phoenix Raceway for the Good Ranchers 250. Somewhere along the way, they changed the name from Phoenix International Raceway. By reconfigured, I mean that everything at the facility has changed since IndyCar last raced there in 2018. Stands along what used to be the main straightaway have been torn down, while massive stands have been added to what used to be the Turns 1-2 complex. The starting line has been moved over to the dogleg side of the track, so even the turn names are different.
There are many clichés appropriate to use for Sunday’s season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Some might say “the more thing change, the more things stay the same”. I’ll opt for the more musical “meet the new boss, same as the old boss”. There was never much of a question in 2025 that Alex Palou was the boss of the field. The was 2026 has started, not much has changed.
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