Alex Palou will start from pole at Road America after posting the top qualifying speed of 139.400 mph. The XPEL Grand Prix at Road America goes off Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on FOX, with Palou chasing his Indy Series-best fifth win of the season.
Palou sets the pace
The pole was his fifth straight qualifying session with the top speed. That kind of run does not leave much room for the rest of the IndyCar Series field once qualifying turns into a single-lap fight for track position.
Palou reached 139.400 mph and took the first starting spot for the race in Elkhurt Lake, Wisc. Viewers can watch on FOX or stream the race on-demand, which gives Sunday’s front row a clear lead-in for the afternoon start.
Road America after Illinois
The result also comes two weeks after Palou finished 17th at the Grand Prix of Illinois after running out of fuel. He went from that setback to the fastest lap in qualifying, a sharp swing that puts him back in position to press for another win.
Josef Newgarden won the Grand Prix of Illinois two weeks ago, but Palou answered at Road America by putting the pole on the board. The contrast is the story: one driver arrived off a fuel problem and a 17th-place finish, then turned qualifying into a clean reset.
Sunday at 2 p.m. ET
The race starts at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, or 1 p.m. CT. That schedule leaves the starting order fixed before the afternoon window opens, and Palou gets the first shot at controlling the front of the field from the opening lap.
