Alex Palou has taken his fifth consecutive IndyCar pole, putting the Chip Ganassi Racing driver on the front row for Sunday’s XPEL Grand Prix at Road America.
The four-time NTT IndyCar Series champion delivered a 1m43.6615s lap in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, securing his sixth pole from the first 10 races of the 2026 season and the 18th of his career, according to IndyCar’s official qualifying report.
It is a striking run because Palou’s streak has crossed very different circuits: the Indianapolis road course, the Indianapolis 500 oval, Detroit’s street layout, World Wide Technology Raceway and now Road America’s 4.014-mile road course.
Palou’s Road America record sharpens the title picture
Road America already carries strong Palou history. He has won three of the past five IndyCar races at the Wisconsin venue and is chasing a fourth victory there on Sunday.
The pole also adds one point to his championship position once the event is completed, strengthening a title lead that has already made him the clear benchmark of the 2026 season.
Palou’s wider numbers are beginning to look historic. He has now matched a five-pole streak achieved by only a small group of IndyCar greats, while his 18th career pole keeps him on a trajectory that is drawing comparisons with Will Power’s all-time qualifying standard.
The race now becomes a simple but revealing question: can anyone turn Palou’s qualifying dominance into race-day pressure before he stretches the championship further?
