Samwise IndyCar Newsletter
Friday, April 24, 2026
Palou Claims Maiden Long Beach Win to Extend Championship Lead
Alex Palou claimed his first Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach win on April 19, converting superior pit strategy into a 3.9663-second victory margin over Felix Rosenqvist in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou trailed through much of the 90-lap race, struggling on the softer Firestone alternate tire, before debris triggered the sole caution period on Lap 57. His crew completed a 7.3-second stop, 1.1 seconds quicker than Rosenqvist's team, to vault from second to first. Scott Dixon held off Kyle Kirkwood for third. The victory was Palou's 22nd career IndyCar win and his third of the 2026 season, extending his championship lead to 17 points over Kirkwood.
Sources: IndyCar.com, Race Track Masters
Rosenqvist Leaps From 14th to 9th in Standings After Long Beach Pole and Podium
Felix Rosenqvist delivered the strongest drive of his 2026 season at Long Beach, claiming pole position in the No. 60 MSR Honda and leading 51 of 90 laps. The Swede built a three-second cushion over Alex Palou in the race's opening stint, but surrendered the lead during pit stops when Palou's crew worked 1.1 seconds faster under the Lap 57 caution. Rosenqvist settled for second, crossing the line 3.9663 seconds behind the winner. The result vaulted him five positions in the championship, from 14th to 9th, leaving him on 109 points. He now trails series leader Palou by 96 points with 13 races left in the 2026 season.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Palou Leads 2026 Championship by 17 Points With Five Rounds Complete
Five rounds into the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series, Alex Palou has built the early title advantage. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver holds 205 points across three wins and four top-four results, leading Kyle Kirkwood by 17 after the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. David Malukas is a distant third for Team Penske with 142 points, trailed by Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward at 136. Christian Lundgaard and Josef Newgarden complete the top six with 131 and 130 points. With 13 races remaining across an 18-round season, and 50 points available for each win, the championship remains mathematically alive for most drivers.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Long Beach TV Ratings Surge 130% to Best IndyCar Audience Since 2008
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach delivered IndyCar's best television audience in nearly two decades, averaging 1,269,000 viewers on FOX, a 130 percent improvement over the 552,000 who watched Long Beach in 2025. Viewership peaked at 1,527,000 as Alex Palou drove to victory, partly boosted by a NASCAR Kansas race serving as a lead-in broadcast. The result lifted the 2026 season's per-race average to 1,239,000 viewers, up 44 percent from 2025 and the best five-race start for the series since 2014. Long Beach was the fourth race of the 2026 season to exceed one million viewers on FOX.
Sources: RACER, IndyCar.com
Acura Pauses IMSA Factory GTP Program to Deepen IndyCar Commitment
Honda Racing Corporation announced on April 22 that it will pause Acura's factory GTP program in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship after 2026, redirecting resources toward an expanded IndyCar effort. Acura branding will appear on Meyer Shank Racing's Honda-powered entries at selected IndyCar rounds this season, including on Marcus Armstrong's No. 66 at the Indianapolis 500. The Acura-branded No. 60 of Felix Rosenqvist debuted at Long Beach in celebration of the marque's 40th anniversary, with Rosenqvist qualifying on pole and finishing second. HRC USA cited IndyCar's growing television audiences and momentum as key factors in prioritising the open-wheel series.
Sources: Motorsport.com, IndyCar.com
Abel Motorsports Confirms Jacob Abel for 110th Indianapolis 500
Abel Motorsports announced on April 20 that Louisville-area driver Jacob Abel will pilot the No. 51 Chevrolet-powered entry in the 110th Indianapolis 500 on May 24, giving the family-owned team its second attempt at the race. Team owner Bill Abel confirmed his son as the driver, with the outfit having last competed at Indianapolis in 2023 when RC Enerson qualified. Jacob Abel previously attempted the Indy 500 in 2025 with Dale Coyne Racing but failed to qualify, making this year's campaign a redemption bid. The confirmation brings the provisional 2026 Indianapolis 500 entry list to 32 cars.
Sources: IndyCar.com, RACER
Team Penske Places Three Cars in Championship Top Seven Despite No Long Beach Podium
Team Penske holds three of the top seven positions in the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series championship standings despite none of its drivers reaching the Long Beach podium. David Malukas leads the trio in third overall with 142 points from five starts, converting consistent finishes including a pole position without a race win. Josef Newgarden, who has taken one victory this season, sits sixth at 130 points, with Scott McLaughlin seventh at 127. The combined presence confirms Penske's depth, but the team's title challenge depends on one of its drivers breaking through to match Alex Palou's current pace of three wins in five starts.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Kirkwood's Five Consecutive Top-Fives Leave Him Palou's Closest Challenger
Kyle Kirkwood maintained his streak of five consecutive top-five finishes with a fourth-place result at Long Beach, but the Andretti Global driver was unable to close the points gap to series leader Alex Palou. Kirkwood finished 5.9730 seconds behind the winner in the 90-lap contest. The Floridian won the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington earlier this season and now sits second in the championship with 188 points, trailing Palou by 17. His consistency across the opening five rounds is unmatched, with five top-five results, yet Palou's three victories have generated the decisive advantage that separates the two drivers heading into the second half of the season.
Sources: Motorsport.com, Motorsport.com
Drivers' Championship
1. Alex Palou — 205 pts
2. Kyle Kirkwood — 188 pts
3. David Malukas — 142 pts
4. Pato O'Ward — 136 pts
5. Christian Lundgaard — 131 pts
6. Josef Newgarden — 130 pts
7. Scott McLaughlin — 127 pts
8. Scott Dixon — 120 pts
9. Felix Rosenqvist — 109 pts
10. Graham Rahal — 106 pts
11. Alexander Rossi — 105 pts
12. Marcus Ericsson — 104 pts
13. Marcus Armstrong — 104 pts
14. Will Power — 89 pts
15. Rinus VeeKay — 79 pts
16. Dennis Hauger — 76 pts
17. Kyffin Simpson — 75 pts
18. Santino Ferrucci — 74 pts
19. Louis Foster — 60 pts
20. Romain Grosjean — 60 pts
21. Christian Rasmussen — 59 pts
22. Caio Collet — 59 pts
23. Nolan Siegel — 56 pts
24. Mick Schumacher — 44 pts
25. Sting Ray Robb — 42 pts
Teams' Championship
1. Chip Ganassi Racing — 346 pts
2. Team Penske — 312 pts
3. Andretti Global — 302 pts
4. Arrow McLaren — 275 pts
5. Meyer Shank Racing — 213 pts
6. Rahal Letterman Lanigan — 172 pts
7. ECR — 164 pts
8. Dale Coyne Racing — 136 pts
9. A.J. Foyt Enterprises — 133 pts
10. Juncos Hollinger Racing — 121 pts
* Unofficial — based on top-2 cars per team
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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