Alex Palou cruised to victory within the IndyCar $1 Million Problem, main all 30 laps that he raced Sunday at The Thermal Membership in Southern California.
The 2-time collection champion earned a $500,000 payday by successful by greater than 5 seconds over Scott McLaughlin on the 17-turn, 3.067-mile highway course east of Palm Springs, California.
Palou led all 10 laps of the second warmth race to take the pole place for the Dash for the Purse principal occasion. The Chip Ganassi Racing star’s No. 10 Dallara-Honda then led begin to end within the 20-lap finale.
MAIN EVENT RESULTS: Click on right here for the ultimate ending order
“The automobile was wonderful,” Palou informed NBC Sports activities’ Marty Snider. “The ten crew, all of the CGR guys did an incredible job. Tremendous proud. I used to be a bit stunned how the opponents handled the primary 10 laps (by) saving tires. I used to be like, ‘All proper, that’s our recreation. I prefer it.”
Palou, who grew to become a father within the offseason, joked that “I would like to purchase a number of diapers and pajamas, so most likely I‘ll try this and have a small occasion with the boys.”
“At present was like slightly Sunday drive on the market out entrance by himself,” group proprietor Chip Ganassi informed Snider of Palou’s efficiency. “(Palou) didn’t even break a sweat. Lot of strain on the group all weekend, and your complete group carried out.”
McLaughlin earned $350,000 from a $1.756 million purse (the biggest exterior the Indy 500) for his runner-up displaying.
Felix Rosenqvist, who gained the primary warmth, completed third (and gained $250,000), adopted by Colton Herta ($100,000) and Marcus Armstrong ($50,000). Each finisher exterior the highest 5 gained $23,000
“Superior weekend,” Rosenqvist stated after taking a podium in his second begin with Meyer Shank Racing. “Maximized what we had. Gained the warmth race. Tremendous happy for the group. This was an enormous studying expertise. We want that, we’re nonetheless attending to know one another.”
Herta began the second phase in seventh however was the large gainer in his No. 26 Dallara-Honda.
It was a powerful comeback by the Andretti International star. Herta began the principle occasion in twelfth after securing the sixth and closing switch spot from the primary warmth (which he began eleventh).
“It’s feast or famine, and I used to be hungry,” Herta informed NBC Sports activities’ Kevin Lee. “P4 just isn’t too dangerous from once we began.”
Updates from earlier within the exhibition occasion beneath:
Alex Palou leads at halftime; Fittipaldi disqualified
Two-time IndyCar Collection champion Alex Palou dominated the primary half of the $1 Million Problem at The Thermal Membership, main the primary 10 of 20 laps from the pole place.
Scott McLaughlin was 1.8 seconds behind in second when the race was stopped at midway, adopted by Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Armstrong and Josef Newgarden.
There was a niche of about 7 seconds between the highest 4, and Newgarden was greater than 17 seconds behind in fifth.
Linus Lundqvist, Christian Lundgaard, Alexander Rossi, Agustin Canapino and Colton Herta have been the remainder of the drivers on the lead lap of the 12-car principal occasion, which can pay $500,000 to the winner.
Pietro Fittipaldi completed the primary phase in ninth, however IndyCar disqualified his automobile from the second half for failing to observe race directions. NBC Sports activities’ Leigh Diffey stated IndyCar dominated that the group improperly fueled the automobile of Fittipaldi, who saved gas all through the primary 10 laps.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing teammate Graham Rahal went a lap down after pitting for throttle issues close to the top of the primary phase. He was unable to restart the race in his No. 15 Dallara-Honda.
“Only a caught throttle,” Rahal informed NBC Sports activities’ Kevin Lee. “Felt it on Lap 3. It progressively acquired to the purpose I needed to clutch it each single brake zone to not go crusing off. It is simply too harmful.”
Lundgaard, the third RLL driver, restarted the ultimate phase from final after emergency repairs to his automobile.
Throughout the break, vehicles could be serviced for gas, changes to the entrance and rear wing angles and wickers, changes to tire strain and driver help.
The ultimate 10-lap phase can be stay on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
Alex Palou wins Warmth 2 as lineup is ready
Alex Palou gained an uneventful second warmth as Chip Ganassi Racing took three of the 4 remaining spots in the principle occasion of the IndyCar $1 Million Problem at The Thermal Membership.
Palou, the two-time collection champion, led begin to end from the pole place, and CGR teammate Marcus Armstrong took second.
Graham Rahal was third, adopted by Ganassi rookie Linus Lundqvist, Pietro Fittipaldi and Alexander Rossi, who had the 10-lap race’s most memorable battle with Tom Blomqvist.
Rossi squeezed across the rookie on the fourth lap for the ultimate switch spot to the Dash for the Purse, which is able to provide $500,000 to the winner from $1.756 million in prize cash.
STARTING LINEUP: Click on right here for the 12-car beginning grid
Whereas Rossi eked into the ultimate, Arrow McLaren teammates Pato O’Ward and Callum Ilott have been unable to advance.
Kyffin Simpson, Christian Rasmussen, Colin Braun and Marcus Ericsson additionally didn’t advance.
Palou will begin on the pole of the Dash for the Purse alongside Warmth 1 winner Felix Rosenqvist. Armstrong and Scott McLaughlin will make up the second row.
The principle occasion is being broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
Rosenqvist wins Warmth 1; Grosjean, VeeKay crash
Felix Rosenqvist gained the opening warmth of the $1 Million Problem at The Thermal Membership, the place Romain Grosjean and Rinus VeeKay have been among the many massive losers.
Grosjean and VeeKay crashed within the first activate the 17-turn, 3.067-mile highway course, ending their probabilities at an enormous payday earlier than the all-star exhibition hardly started.
The incident began when Grosjean’s No. 77 Dallara-Chevrolet was rear-ended by six-time IndyCar Collection champion Scott Dixon’s No. 9 Dallara-Honda. The Juncos Hollinger Racing driver then bumped into VeeKay’s No. 21 Dallara-Chevry, leaving each vehicles with heavy injury.
Grosjean, who additionally grew agitated with an AMR security employee whereas leaving the scene, had but to see the replay when interviewed by NBC Sports activities’ Marty Snider.
“I acquired hit beneath braking,” Grosjean stated. “I haven’t seen the footage, however I acquired hit actually badly within the again, after which the automobile spun. Who’s going to pay for the injury? We come right here with nothing on the road, we do nothing improper, and the automobile’s utterly smashed. Yeah. What are you going to do? It’s not what we signed up for.”
An IndyCar spokesman confirmed that Grosjean’s actions with the protection employee can be reviewed for a potential penalty.
Dixon was contrite in regards to the contact with Grosjean.
“There was so much occurring, that’s for certain,” Dixon informed NBC Sports activities’ Marty Snider. “Initially, Herta and that i acquired into it. Grsojan went to the left, and I assumed he was going all the best way to the left, which was going to open up the center. And swiftly, he began to fade again to the correct.
“Everyone stopped so early, so much sooner than I assumed we have been going to, particularly with the huge headwind. Clearly, I don’t need to accumulate anyone, and I apologize to anybody collected in that incident. It was all occurring in a brief time frame, and generally that occurs, sadly.”
Roseqnvist gained the 10-lap warmth from the pole place, advancing to the principle occasion with Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, Christian Lundgaard, Agustin Canapino and Colton Herta.
Failing to succeed in the 12-car principal occasion have been Nolan Siegel, Santino Ferrucci, Will Energy, Kyle Kirkwood, Sting Ray Robb, Dixon, VeeKay and Grosjean.
“It’s an superior begin,” Rosenqvist informed Snider. “Man,it felt like an extended race. Tremendous happy with my group, Meyer Shank Racing. This can be a nice begin for us.”
A second warmth race will decide the opposite six slots in the principle occasion.
