Alex Palou Clinches the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Championship with Alex Palou. Also, team owner Chip Ganassi, Portland winner Will Power, Liz Power and Pato O’Ward

Roger Penske: This is Roger Penske, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy, sponsored by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin: IndyCar fans, it's time to start your engines. Welcome to Pit Pass Indy, a production of Evergreen Podcast. I'm your host, Bruce Martin, a journalist who regularly covers the NTT IndyCar Series. Our goal at Pit Pass Indy is to give racing fans an insider's view of the exciting world of the NTT IndyCar Series in a fast-paced podcast featuring interviews with the biggest names in the sport. I bring nearly 40 years of experience covering IndyCar and NASCAR, working for such media brands as NBCSports.com, SI.com, ESPN SportsTicker, Sports Illustrated, AutoWeek, and SpeedSport. So let's drop the green flag on this episode of Pit Pass Indy. Welcome to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental as we continue our fifth season of giving IndyCar fans an inside look at the most exciting form of racing on the planet, the NTT IndyCar Series. And a big thanks to Penske Truck Rental for helping bring you the inside stories of IndyCar from the paddock to the racetrack to the highways and streets of America. Alex Pillow clinched the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Championship in the bitnile.com Grand Prix of Portland presented by Ask ROI with a third place finish. It's Pillow's third straight IndyCar Series Championship, his fourth IndyCar title overall. Pillow clinched the championship with a full two races remaining in the season. In 2023, he clinched the title with one race left in that season. In the era of Alex, there seems to be little that he can do wrong. Polo is the perfect driver on the perfect team at the perfect time, and that has created history for IndyCar. Chip Ganassi Racing has now won 17 IndyCar Series championships, tying Team Penske for the most in history. Pato Award was the only driver still in mathematical contention entering the race. He inherited the pole after the NTT P1 award winner and Arrow McLaren teammate Christian Lungard had to start 7th because he was over the season allotment of engine changes per IndyCar's rule. That meant a 6 grid spot penalty for the pole winner. An electrical failure caused by a wire on the direct injector system on lap 22 doomed the Arrow McLaren driver as Award had to pit to repair the issue. By the time he returned to the race course, he was nine laps down. Award would finish the race 25th, 10 laps down. As for the outcome of the race, it was an incredible battle between Will Power, Errol McLaren's Christian Lungard, and Palou for the final three quarters of the race, showcasing IndyCar racing at its best. Pillow attempted to pass Lungard for second place, but Lungard closed the gap, knocking Pillow off course. But Pillow was able to return to the track without losing third place, with just three laps remaining. That battle, however, gave Power the distance he needed to score his 45th career IndyCar Series win. It was Team Penske's first victory of the 2025 season. We will hear from both the champion and the race winner in today's Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental. We will have more from Pillow and championship winning team owner Chip Ganassi later in the show. But first, let's honor Team Penske's Will Power for his second straight win at Portland International Raceway in this exclusive interview for Pit Pass Indy. They gotta be throwing a lake party on Lake Norman because Will Powers won his first IndyCar Series race of the 2025 season. Will, long time coming. I know this one really means a lot to you. Yeah. How important was this victory for you, as you really don't know what the future may be for willpower in IndyCar?

Will Power: Yeah. To be honest, I don't think it changes much, but it's still very nice to get a win, a hard-fought win at that. And if there is a late party, Bruce, you and I, you're invited. We're both going. Big party, man.

Bruce Martin: Well, definitely. I'll be in charge of the barbecue. How's that? Everything that you've weighed on your mind throughout the season, how big of a burden is this to have lifted off your shoulders? I know it doesn't answer the future questions, but it definitely has to show that you're still a racer.

Will Power: Yeah, I mean, yeah, I will say it has been a very stressful year for me because I don't know what I'm doing and I don't like that, but You know, it's so hard to win an IndyCar these days. It's awesome to get a bloody win. I mean, yeah, there's nothing more I can say.

Bruce Martin: Well, you brought up a really good point in the post-race interview about with three victories last year and two championships and an Indianapolis 500 win in 2018. I'll let you finish that statement for me because I thought you answered it pretty well. If they need to know more about willpower of the race. I mean, come on.

Will Power: Exactly. Like if you're still wondering if I'm, if you're waiting on me, I mean, yeah, you're looking at the wrong stuff. So, and maybe that's what they're not waiting on. 45th career victory.

Bruce Martin: That really ranks among the greatest of the greats in IndyCar history. How important is that to you? You're already the leader in polls.

Will Power: Now you've got 45 victories. It would be nice to get to 50. Could you imagine? It's possible. We could do it.

Bruce Martin: There's only a couple of drivers that have 50. AJ Foyt, Scott Dixon, Mario Andretti. To add Will Powers' name to that list, how important would that be for you?

Will Power: That would be nice. You can't start looking back at the ones that you let go. You could be right up there in the 50s. Man, I've had a great career. I really have.

Bruce Martin: Now, most importantly, we're going to end the season at two short ovals, the Milwaukee Mile, where you've dominated at in your career, and also Nashville Super Speedway. We didn't really get a chance to see what you could do there last year because you had the seatbelt issues. So how excited are you over the prospect? You've got these two tracks coming up. You could get a couple of wins there.

Will Power: Definitely Milwaukee. I was a bit frustrated after last year. Yeah, I probably let a win go. Finished second in the first race, but we'll see what happens, Bruce. Wouldn't it be just ironic if I go and win the last three races and then end up sort of, I don't know.

Bruce Martin: I noticed that there's a lot of smiles on your face with your agent, Oriol Servia, too. So both of you have to really feel like, through thick and thin, the two of you, you're still going to try to negotiate a really good deal with somebody for next year.

Will Power: Yeah, we'll see. It's kind of an awkward year to be a free agent, but you never know, man. But I will say one thing.

Bruce Martin: You saved the day for Team Penske from them having their first winless season since 1999. That's got to account for something.

Will Power: Oh yeah, no, it's… Man, it's nice to be the first winner and then also maybe the only winner, I don't know. I feel like we can win the last few races as a team, so we'll see what happens.

Bruce Martin: I interviewed your wife Liz in Victory Lane and said, You know, you're an emotional guy. How much of the two of you really helped boost each other during what's been a difficult season?

Will Power: I mean, Liz is just such… I'm so lucky to have her, to be honest. I'm so… Like, I've just been thinking, you know, how lucky I am to have Liz through all this. Because she's also very savvy. And between her and Oriol, you know, they can… They know… They're very good. Very good partnership there. But she's just… I'm just lucky to have Lizzie, man. Very lucky.

Bruce Martin: And it seemed like a Dale Earnhardt moment when he won the Daytona 500 in 1998 because a lot of team, fellow team members and rival team members congratulated you. To have that kind of mutual respect from the IndyCar community, how great does that make you feel?

Will Power: Man, yeah, I just like I said, you know so many good friends in the paddock so many good people Yeah, I love it man. I do. I love everyone in the paddock. I do It's really I don't like I don't dislike any driver and I think it's such a great community and they all look out for each Other and we compete hard on the track

Bruce Martin: Well, depending on what happens with your future with Team Penske, at least you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you, if this is the end, you're going out a winner with your victory here at Portland. And to win that two years in a row, just how important is that to you?

Will Power: That's, yeah, I mean, it's just… I almost said to someone I'm going to win today. I just knew it. It's so weird. But yeah, anyway, it's nice. And if that's my last win with Penske and with Verizon, it's a nice way to go out.

Bruce Martin: Well, it certainly is. We'll be knowing you're not leaving. You'll be back in IndyCar somewhere in 2026. But now you have another bargaining chip to lay on the table.

Will Power: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It certainly helps winning a race. It certainly helps you get a job. So we'll keep a job.

Bruce Martin: But willpower, enjoy the victory. I know you've earned it. Enjoy the flight back to Charlotte. When you get home, it's going to rain all week. So just be prepared for that.

Will Power: It's rained every day for the last two weeks. I know. It's crazy. Anyway, we'll have you over for a barbecue then in the wet.

Bruce Martin: Well you know me, anytime there's smoked pig, I'm avid notice for it. But anyway, willpower team Penske, neighbor of mine in North Carolina. Congratulations on winning thebitnile.com Grand Prix of Portland presented by Ask ROI and good luck the rest of the year and thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy.

Will Power: You got it Bruce, thank you.

Bruce Martin: This has been a difficult year for Power, as well as Team Penske teammates Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin. As we mentioned earlier, Team Penske was attempting to avoid its first winless season since 1999. Power saved the day, but the two-time IndyCar Series champion, the winner of the 2018 Indianapolis 500, and IndyCar's all-time pole winner with 71, does not know what his future is in IndyCar. That means he could be leaving Team Penske at the end of the year. The most important person in Powers' support system is his wife, Liz. She gave me an exclusive interview on the importance of Will Powers' Portland victory when I caught up with her in Victory Lane after the race. Nobody knows how tough it's been for Will Power than our next guest. It's his wife, Liz Power. Liz, you've lived through this season. You know how difficult it's been for Will to be able to get this victory. Maybe it'll save his job at Team Penske. We don't know. But just how big of a burden has been lifted off your husband's shoulders?

Liz Power: You know, I think it's definitely been a roller coaster season as far as uncertainty and knowing what's going to happen, and obviously things that have gone on with the team results. So yeah, this would be, this is a huge burden. He's been in a really good headspace for sure the last couple races. So I knew going into it would be good, but just having this off his back, just to win too in general, it helps.

Bruce Martin: How big a burden has it been off your shoulders?

Liz Power: A huge burden. A huge burden. You know, because I get to be the cheerleader, and he puts so much into it. So for him to have that result, yeah, it's just, I can't tell you.

Bruce Martin: We all know how emotional Will is. How many times have you really had to calm him down?

Liz Power: You know, not too bad. I mean, probably more towards the beginning of the season. But it hasn't been that bad. It's just been more, like, a more melancholy Will, more than anything.

Bruce Martin: In your mind, do you feel that he'll be back at Team Penske, or do you think there's going to be a new home?

Liz Power: You know, I don't know the answer to that question. I don't know. I don't know. I know we'll know more in Nashville, and I don't know.

Bruce Martin: Do you feel that he's been left twisting in the wind?

Liz Power: Yeah, a little bit. A little bit. But I think for Will, he feels good. So it'll, you know, yeah, a little bit. But you know, it's racing. It's a business. We get how that works. But we'll see.

Bruce Martin: And to be able to end a season with a victory, still got two more chances to get some more victories. But at least 2025 is going to end on a high note. And it's been a difficult season for the whole team.

Liz Power: Exactly. Yeah. For all the guys, I mean, to see how excited each crew was, they've all, in the grind of this season, without everything else that's been going on, it is really good for everyone to get a win.

Bruce Martin: Well, Liz Fowler, go celebrate. Congratulations on Will's victory here in the bitnile.com Grand Prix of Portland. And good luck the rest of the season.

Liz Power: Thanks, Bruce. Appreciate it.

Bruce Martin: We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break. This is Will Power of Team Penske. And you're listening to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin: Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy! Paddle Ward entered the Portland Weekend 121 points behind Alex Pillow as the only two drivers left in contention for the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Championship. He realized his hopes at claiming the championship were purely mathematical and was putting his focus on winning the final three races and letting the points situation sort itself out. Award was upbeat when he arrived at Portland before the start of the weekend. Award joins me for this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview.

Bruce Martin: Pato Award, a two-sport star.

Bruce Martin: Before you came to Portland, you got some Major League Baseball experience. How did you like that, throwing out the first pitch before the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees?

Pato O’Ward: No, it was great, man. I made it to the other side. That was my objective.

Bruce Martin: But to be able to go out there and have IndyCar be honored, especially with an iconic team like the New York Yankees, at the Texas Rangers home stadium, how important is that to be able to market IndyCar drivers like that?

Pato O’Ward: I think it's great. It's the second time that I've been able to throw out a first pitch, so it's a great opportunity to get to know a sport that I really know very little about.

Bruce Martin: We're doing this interview at Portland. You seem to be very positive, very satisfied with the season that you've had, that you know that you've done very well. There's only one driver that's had a better season, and his has been fairly historic. So how long have you been able to accept the fact that you've had a great year, it's just that Alex has had a greater year?

Pato O’Ward: We've had a great year so far. We want to keep it up. There's still three races to go. We can't have that championship. We want to be the best of the rest, and that's what we've done the last month or so, and we want to keep it up.

Bruce Martin: The million-dollar question, though. You've done it, as well as any other driver in the series, to be able to compete against him. What does the IndyCar paddock have to do to try to raise their level of competition up to where they can match Alex's? And yourself.

Pato O’Ward: Oh, man. I don't know how to answer that, really. We're just focused to try and make our years and our work as good as possible.

Bruce Martin: If you were going to look back at your season, what are the things you did very well, and what are the things you believe you need to work on?

Pato O’Ward: We've executed when we've had the card to do it, but our bad days are still too bad.

Bruce Martin: When you look at your great accomplishments of this year, the victories that you've had, short oval, street course, how happy are you that you've been able to do what you did this season and it's only the beginning of what can be greater things for you.

Pato O’Ward: It's been, it's been great. I mean, the Toronto win was, you know, a perfect example of never giving up in a place that we knew was going to be super tough for us. And obviously at Iowa, we ended up beating the Oval Master and the Oval Masters at their own game. So that was, that was pretty cool.

Bruce Martin: Pato Award, you've had a great season. Good luck the rest of the way. Good luck in 2026. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass, Andy.

Pato O’Ward: Appreciate it. Thank you.

Bruce Martin: Of course, the driver who was most confident when he arrived at Portland International Raceway was Alex Palou. All he had to do was leave Portland 108 points ahead of a ward, and the championship was over. Here are Palou's thoughts before Sunday's BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland, presented by Ask ROI, when he joined me for this exclusive PitPass Indy interview before the start of the weekend. By the time this interview airs, we'll know or not whether to call you a four-time IndyCar Series champion. I'd say the odds look pretty good in your favor, but Alex Palou, as you enter the championship weekend, what could be the championship weekend here at Portland, what are your thoughts? How do you feel? How confident are you?

Alex Palou: Feeling great, feeling amazing, especially after the last race weekend we had at Laguna, the performance we had, the car we had, and how this year is going so far. So yeah, I'm excited. Portland is an amazing place for us as well. And I can't wait to see if hopefully we can win the championship this year again.

Bruce Martin: You've been pretty much asked everything the last couple of weeks. What haven't you been asked that you believe should be pointed out?

Alex Palou: I mean, as you said, I've got questions of everything, but I think everything's been covered. I'm happy that I'm in the position I am to try and fight for a third championship in a row, fourth in total, and yeah, I'm happy.

Bruce Martin: How have you been able to keep such a demeanor and be relaxed and not let any of this get to you?

Alex Palou: I think it helps a lot when you know that you have all the tools that you need. Like I know I've been through this already and I know what to expect. I know what kind of like what every race weekend is going to be, and what the championship fight is going to be as well. I mean, I've been in the position. That helps me stay relaxed. And then, again, knowing that I have an amazing team behind me is a huge help.

Bruce Martin: because you have an amazing team behind you. How much do you believe that is the major piece of the puzzle to why you're here right now? We've seen in the past, you take a star driver, moving them to another team, and it may not be what a lot of people expected. So how much of that do you credit the team? Oh, big time, big time.

Alex Palou: I mean, it's, uh, There's a lot of stuff involved on why one car or one combination of car and driver works. But I have everything that I need to be doing what we're doing on track, like the speed that we have on the cars, the calls on the strategies and just how amazing the team is on like never giving up and trying to find always a little bit more than everybody else. It's been it's been huge. So, yeah, I think I would for sure not be doing what I'm doing with somebody else.

Bruce Martin: Now, how big of a piece are you to all that success?

Alex Palou: You never know. I mean, for sure, I think I'm doing the work that I need to do. You can always be better. You can always try and find more. But yeah, so far, I think it's been good to fight for races, fight for championships. Yeah, I'm just trying to look for being just a tiny bit better each day, trying to bring a little bit more to the table, try and help a little bit the team a bit more and try and fight on track. So you never know. You never know if it's 50-50, if it's 30-30-30, if it's like 10-10-10 with a lot of different stuff. I think it's more of that, of having not only one or two things that are amazing, it's just having everything at the right place. And finally, is your mindset to just go out and win the race at Portland? Absolutely, yeah, 100%. I think, obviously, the end goal is to finish the year with the championship win. If we go to Nashville and we are able to win it there, it's going to be a success. But obviously, we know that the best way to try and win the championship is by winning Portland, and that's what we want. We want more race wins, and we want to get more to a team.

Bruce Martin: And are you really thinking 10 is a realistic goal right now 10 victories?

Alex Palou: I think it's I mean, it's realistic because chance like the chances are there like we We know that we can win more races, but I think it's, like, the chances are very low, honestly. Like, we know that. If it was 10 more road courses, I would say, yeah, probably we, it's very realistic. But now, man, I think our chances are not amazing, but the best way is by winning in Poland this weekend, and hopefully we'll be a little bit closer.

Bruce Martin: Well, don't bet against him. I still think he can get to 10 wins this year. Alex Polo, good luck as you close in on another championship. Good luck as you possibly close in on 10 victories. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy. Thank you, Bruce.

Bruce Martin: We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Scott McLaughlin: Hi, I'm Scott McLaughlin, driver of the number three Team Penske Chevy, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin: Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy. Now it's time to celebrate a championship. As Alex Pillow was still on victory lane in the championship celebration, I caught up with team owner Chip Ganassi for this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview. Our next guest loves winners, but he certainly loves champions even more. Chip Ganassi, Alex Poloach has delivered you your 17th IndyCar Series championship, which now ties you with Team Penske for the most championships in IndyCar history. How proud are you right now?

Chip Ganassi: Well, you know, I'm really proud of all the people that put their time and effort into this championship. It's about team. It's about the great people we have working for the team. It's about the people that have worked on this team that have got fingerprints on it still. And, you know, we've had a lot of great years of a lot of great competitors and competition. And this is what happens when you put all that together.

Bruce Martin: I'll let you take a nice sip of that champagne. It's got to always taste great. But when people ask what's the key to Alex Pelo's success, he's the perfect driver on the perfect team at the perfect time. How would you categorize what he's been able to do with his fourth career IndyCar Series championship in the last five years?

Chip Ganassi: You know, the guy who thinks day and night about his craft. You know, he's quietly working all the time at being a better champion, a better driver, a better person, a better father, a better husband. He's always, he's just constantly quietly working at it.

Bruce Martin: Well, Chip Ganassi, congratulations for winning your 17th IndyCar Series Championship. We'll talk more to you during the off-season in the next couple of weeks. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy.

Chip Ganassi: Thank you, Bruce.

Bruce Martin: And now, let's hear from the champion. Alex Palou is the four-time IndyCar Series champion, joins me for this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview.

Alex Palou: Hello, Alex. Hello, Bruce.

Alex Palou: So what's new? Anything happen today? We just won the 2025 IndyCar Championship, and I'm very happy.

Bruce Martin: Well, not only did you win the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Championship, there's still two races left in the season. It's really remarkable when you think of the competition level in IndyCar in 2025, the season that you've had, you've already got eight victories. You have a chance to win two more races before the end of the season when IndyCar reconvenes at the Milwaukee Mile and finishes the year at Nashville Super Speedway. I've said numerous times the reason for your success is you're the perfect driver on the perfect team at the perfect time in IndyCar. How do you assess the success that you've been able to have?

Alex Palou: It's been incredible. It's better than any dreams that I've ever had when I was a kid to be in the position I am today. Honestly, it's a privilege to drive one of the CGR cars and to get the opportunity every single race weekend, every single year to fight for wins in championships. But this one feels incredible. Not only we won the 500, we won eight races so far, and we won three championships in a row. The amazing effort that is behind these three years and it's incredible. So yeah, I couldn't be more thankful.

Bruce Martin: It's the second time in your career that you have clinched the championship at Portland International Raceway. You did it in 2023 when it was the next to last race of the season. Back then the last race of the year was at Monterey. Difference is that year you did not have Barry Wanzer, your team manager, as your race strategist because he was dealing with a health issue at that time. Barry's fine. Barry's back in business. He was back in 2024, celebrated a title with you. Now you and him finally got to celebrate a championship clincher in Portland.

Alex Palou: How special was that? Oh, it's super cool. I mean, he's been my strategist ever since I joined CGR. And it's been amazing to have him back. The way that he's been back, it's been super special. And as you said, it kind of like… We can finish and close that circle, clinching the championship without him here in 2023 and clinching with him healthy the 2025 championship.

Bruce Martin: When you won the championship in 2024, you were the first IndyCar Series driver to win back-to-back IndyCar titles since Dario Franchitti, one of your mentors at Chip Ganassi Racing. And of course, he deflated you by saying, I'm the last guy to win it three times in a row. Well, now you've equaled that. How important was that to you to tell Dario, hey, now we're members of the three-peat team.

Alex Palou: It is. It is super special. I mean, for people that don't know, he's part of our team. He's our coach. He's here almost every race weekend. And our relationship is really close. So, yeah, I mean, when I won last year, he was like, yeah, good job, buddy. But I won three in a row and you've only won two in a row. So I wanted to get this championship win to go back to him and say like, hey, I'm part of your company as well. I know that he still has two more Indy 500s, which that's a big difference. It's a small, small detail, but big difference. So that's what we're going to be chasing now.

Bruce Martin: But he pulled another one out of the motivational bag yesterday when you got to understand he won the championship in 2007. He did not compete in IndyCar in 2008. And then he won from 2009 through 2011. In his mind, he's won it four in a row.

Alex Palou: I agree, but I don't agree. So that's true. He did four for four for tries, but it's not my fault that he decided to leave IndyCar. He didn't do four in a row. If you count, you just said that there's a gap in between, and that's all it counts.

Bruce Martin: Well, I know one thing that you won't do that he did in 2008. He left IndyCar to race in NASCAR. No. And I know that that's probably not on your career path.

Alex Palou: No, that's not the idea. Although I would love to one day test one of those cars and see if we can be fast. And I am a fan. I don't, that's not the plan for my career for sure.

Bruce Martin: Nobody can predict what would happen, but in a hypothetical situation, had you left Chip Ganassi Racing after the 2023 season, like you had originally intended, Would you have been able to achieve the same type of success had you gone to Errol McLaren?

Alex Palou: For sure not. The team that I have behind, it's incredible. The ability they have to keep on working, keep on pushing the limits, it's insane. And I know I wouldn't be here without the team that I have behind.

Bruce Martin: Even though that was ultimately an expensive lesson, you have to feel like it was an investment in your career to stay with Chip Ganassi Racing. Because I do know that, you know, with the legal situation, it did cost you a little bit of money and legal fees to stay here. Because of that, I mean, Chip Ganassi says, we're only seeing the beginning of your career. Like, what's left?

Alex Palou: Yeah, I mean, it's something that if I could go back, I would change it. But the truth is that I cannot go back and change it. So we just need to live with it. And the best way to say sorry to everybody at CGR is by winning races for them and championships. So what's left for us? More wins, more championships. That's what we're chasing. We know that we're capable of doing it, and I cannot wait.

Bruce Martin: I believe you're the 30th driver to win both the IndyCar Series Championship and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year.

Alex Palou: Nice.

Bruce Martin: When you count the multiple winners that have won the Indianapolis 500 and the championship in the same year, I believe that's happened 36 times. But how important was it to win an Indianapolis 500 and the championship in the same year?

Alex Palou: Huge. I mean, the 500 win alone was super special, obviously. But to be able to get the 500 and the IndyCar championship the same year just kind of makes it even more special, even more surreal. And for sure, it just made it Very easy for me just to choose which year of my career was the most fun or the most special. It was this one.

Bruce Martin: You pretty much had the championship wrapped up when Paddle Ward had his direct injection issue that dropped him out. He finished 10 laps down. But yet, Alex is a racer. And Alex was going to fight for that victory. And in the end, it was a great three-way battle between willpower, Christian Lungard yourself, It even got to the point where you're trying to pass Christian Lungard. He held his position, knocking into the grass. You have a great relationship racing with Christian Lungard. Did he show you something as a racer with that move?

Alex Palou: No, honestly, although it was a little bit on the limit, in my opinion. I know that I would have done the exact same thing if I was in his position. But at the same time, I knew I had a big gap behind me with Graham in fourth. And I wanted to take that chance. I wanted to try and see if I could go for the second place and then try and get the win. I tried everything I could. That was the only gap that I saw. It's not that there was any other chances. That was the only chance that I had. And I wanted to make sure that I was trying my best.

Bruce Martin: And at one point, you were about 18 seconds or 19 seconds behind Will Power when he was leading the race. How were you able to successfully cut into that to really make it a two-second margin?

Alex Palou: I think our pace was really, really good. It's true that traffic helped us, but the same way that it helped him opening that 20-second gap. Then at the end, he kind of got held up, but yeah. I mean, it was tough. We had to push every single lap during all race to try and be there, try and catch him. We were on a strategy that we didn't have to worry about fuel at all. We just had to focus on getting the win. So, yeah, it was intense, but I'm glad that we got there.

Bruce Martin: And finally, the big celebration is going to come at the end of the season. But are you going to have a little bit of a preview celebration tonight after winning your fourth IndyCar Series championship, your third in a row?

Alex Palou: Absolutely. Maybe not tonight. Tonight, a little bit on the flight. We're still flying back to Indianapolis. We have a lot of work to do this upcoming week. But yes, we will have celebrations a little bit tonight during the flight and for sure this upcoming week.

Bruce Martin: One last question. As a competitor, if you can't win the race, did you have a special feeling for seeing the old pro willpower get a victory? Oh, absolutely.

Alex Palou: Especially this year, especially with what he's facing. I'm a huge willpower fan. The amazing performance that he put today and how he just smoked us was pretty awesome. And yeah, I just hope that he still has a ride next year. He deserves it. He's a great champion. And I hope I can see him again next year.

Bruce Martin: You gave Chip Ganassi his record-tying 17th IndyCar Series championship. That now ties him with Roger Penske. So that's got to be another proud moment for you. Oh, yeah.

Alex Palou: That's awesome. That makes it extra sweet for myself, for Chip, for the team. And we're going for the 18th next year.

Bruce Martin: Don't bet against it either, because everything that people say, Alex just can't do this. At some point, he's got to slow down. You prove them all wrong. But Alex Pillow, you're a great pro, one of the greatest drivers I've ever covered. Congratulations on your fourth IndyCar Series championship. Thank you for how cooperative you've been with PitPass Indy all season. And hey, let's wrap up the season with some more interviews here between now and the end of the year.

Alex Palou: Absolutely.

Bruce Martin: Thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy. And once again, congratulations on another IndyCarSeries championship.

Alex Palou: Thank you, Bruce.

Bruce Martin: We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Josef Newgarden: Hey, everyone, this is two time Indy 500 winner, Josef Newgarden, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin: And that puts a checkered flag on this edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. We want to thank our guest, Alex Flo, the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Champion, team owner Chip Ganassi, who claimed his 17th IndyCar Series Championship as a team owner, BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland Race winner Will Power, his wife Liz, and Arrow McLaren driver Pato Award for joining us on today's episode of Pit Pass Indy. Along with loyal listeners like you, our guests helped make Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental, your path to victory lane in IndyCar. On the highways, the raceways, and every pit stop in between, Penske Truck Rental keeps you moving forward. Gain ground with Penske. For more IndyCar coverage, follow me at X, previously known as Twitter, at BruceMartin, one word, uppercase B, uppercase M, underscore 500. This has been a production of Evergreen Podcast. A special thanks to our production team. Executive producers are Bridget Coyne and Gerardo Orlando. Recordings and edits were done by me, Bruce Martin, and final mixing was done by Sean Rule Hoffman and Nathan Corson. Learn more at evergreenpodcast.com. Until next time, be sure to keep it out of the wall.