Samwise IndyCar Newsletter
Saturday, May 30, 2026
Palou Tops Opening Detroit Practice as Honda Sweeps Top Four
Alex Palou set the pace in opening practice for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on Friday, lapping the 1.645-mile, nine-turn downtown street circuit in 1 minute, 2.7722 seconds in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Kyle Kirkwood followed closely at 1:02.7914 in the No. 27 Andretti Global Honda, part of a Honda sweep of the top four positions that also included Will Power and Marcus Armstrong. Pato O’Ward was the quickest Chevrolet driver in fifth at 1:03.1825 for Arrow McLaren. Six-time series champion Scott Dixon ended the session 12th as teams adjusted from two weeks of oval running at Indianapolis.
Sources: RACER
Newgarden Plans to Race Detroit in Walking Boot After Indy 500 Crash
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden arrived at the Detroit Grand Prix wearing a walking boot on his left foot and using a crutch after crashing from fourth place on Lap 124 of the Indianapolis 500, when he spun into the Turn 4 wall. Newgarden, who has described the injury as cosmetic, confirmed he intends to race Sunday despite the boot. He posted the 21st-fastest time in Friday’s opening practice while adjusting to the injury, telling reporters his crew worked to make him as comfortable as possible in the car and that he made setup changes to accommodate his foot during the session.
Sources: INDYCAR.com
Drivers Recalibrate From Indy Ovals to Detroit’s Tight Street Circuit
After two weeks of oval running at Indianapolis Motor Speedway at speeds topping 230 mph, IndyCar drivers spent Friday recalibrating for the tight confines of Detroit’s 1.645-mile, nine-turn downtown street circuit. The contrast in driving style is stark, with low-speed precision and heavy braking replacing the flat-out commitment of the Brickyard. AJ Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci summed up the challenge, saying, ‘It definitely is a different mindset.’ Several drivers noted the mental reset required between the two disciplines as the field prepares for Saturday qualifying on a circuit where clean track position is at a premium.
Sources: The Detroit News
Palou Takes 37-Point Championship Lead Into Detroit
Alex Palou heads into the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix atop the championship standings with 273 points, 37 clear of Team Penske’s David Malukas after seven of 18 rounds. Kyle Kirkwood sits third on 224, 12 points behind Malukas, following a 16th-place finish in the Indianapolis 500. Palou has been dominant on street courses in 2026, winning two of the season’s three street races at St. Petersburg and Long Beach and finishing second at Arlington. The four-time series champion also has a prior Detroit victory to his name, making him a leading contender as the series resumes on the downtown circuit Sunday.
Sources: Frontstretch
Kirkwood Eyes Detroit Repeat After Indy Disappointment
Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood returns to Detroit as the defending race winner, looking to rebound from a difficult Month of May that included a 16th-place finish in the Indianapolis 500 and a drop to third in the championship standings. Kirkwood showed encouraging pace on Friday, posting the second-quickest time in opening practice behind only points leader Alex Palou. A strong weekend would help Andretti Global reset after a frustrating Indianapolis campaign and keep Kirkwood within range of David Malukas, who holds second place 12 points ahead. The Detroit street circuit has been a happy hunting ground for the Andretti driver.
Sources: Frontstretch
O’Ward and Arrow McLaren Chase Chevrolet Home Win at Detroit
Pato O’Ward was the fastest Chevrolet-powered driver in Friday’s opening Detroit practice, placing fifth at 1:03.1825 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren entry as Honda swept the top four positions. O’Ward and Arrow McLaren are chasing a victory on home turf for Chevrolet at the manufacturer’s namesake event, the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. O’Ward has been a model of consistency on street circuits this season, finishing fifth in each of the year’s three street races to date. Teammate Christian Lundgaard, currently fourth in the championship standings, gives Arrow McLaren a second strong contender heading into Sunday’s 100-lap race.
Sources: INDYCAR.com
Indy 500 Draws 6.6 Million Viewers, Second-Highest Since 2012
FOX averaged 6.635 million viewers for its broadcast of the 110th Indianapolis 500, making it the second-most-watched running of the race since 2012, according to ratings released this week. Viewership peaked at 8.349 million in the closing minutes as Felix Rosenqvist edged David Malukas in the closest finish in race history. The average was down roughly 6% from last year’s 7.09 million in FOX’s debut year with the event, though it still ranked among the strongest audiences of the past decade. The figures cap a high-profile Month of May as the series shifts attention to Detroit.
Sources: Sports Video Group
Drivers’ Championship
1. Alex Palou — 273 pts
2. David Malukas — 236 pts
3. Kyle Kirkwood — 224 pts
4. Christian Lundgaard — 195 pts
5. Pato O’Ward — 188 pts
6. Scott McLaughlin — 181 pts
7. Felix Rosenqvist — 176 pts
8. Josef Newgarden — 167 pts
9. Scott Dixon — 167 pts
10. Marcus Armstrong — 154 pts
11. Graham Rahal — 151 pts
12. Marcus Ericsson — 129 pts
13. Alexander Rossi — 127 pts
14. Rinus VeeKay — 125 pts
15. Santino Ferrucci — 122 pts
16. Kyffin Simpson — 116 pts
17. Will Power — 112 pts
18. Dennis Hauger — 111 pts
19. Louis Foster — 95 pts
20. Nolan Siegel — 95 pts
21. Romain Grosjean — 92 pts
22. Caio Collet — 76 pts
23. Christian Rasmussen — 71 pts
24. Mick Schumacher — 66 pts
25. Sting Ray Robb — 62 pts
26. Conor Daly — 24 pts
27. Takuma Sato — 20 pts
28. Jack Harvey — 8 pts
29. Jacob Abel — 6 pts
30. Helio Castroneves — 5 pts
31. Ed Carpenter — 5 pts
32. Ryan Hunter-Reay — 5 pts
33. Katherine Legge — 5 pts
Teams’ Championship
1. Team Penske — 464 pts
2. Chip Ganassi Racing — 453 pts
3. Arrow McLaren — 398 pts
4. Andretti Global — 373 pts
5. Meyer Shank Racing — 321 pts
6. Rahal Letterman Lanigan — 265 pts
7. Dale Coyne Racing — 203 pts
8. A.J. Foyt Enterprises — 190 pts
9. ECR — 187 pts
10. Juncos Hollinger Racing — 185 pts
11. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing — 27 pts
12. Abel Motorsports — 6 pts
13. HMD Motorsports — 5 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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