Palou Takes a Chance and Wins Milwaukee INDYCAR Pole
Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment
By Dennis Krause
Alex Palou’s magical season continues in the NTT INDYCAR Series. The Spaniard recently wrapped up his fourth championship in five seasons, but that hasn’t slowed the Palou show.
The driver of the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda scored his sixth NTT P1 Pole Award of 2025 with a two-lap average of 162.971 MPH, his first at the Milwaukee Mile, his third short oval pole of the season and 12th career pole.
“I guess I didn't expect it,” Palou said. “I wanted it, and I felt really good after practice, but there's been so many times that after practice I feel like we found something or that I have confidence in, and it's just because you had a clean lap or whatever.
“I knew my lap this morning was on a completely clear lap, so I was like, I don't know if I have much more speed than that. We made a couple of small changes to try and get a little bit faster, and yeah, worked out.”
Without having to worry about championship implications, Palou feels free to try whatever he wants on a set-up, win poles and win races. It’s a mindset that Palou had today.
“Yeah, for sure. I think I personally took it more than all other times that I've been on ovals in qualifying. I knew that for me starting P8 today or P3 didn't really change much. But getting the pole or not getting the pole, it was everything.
“I for sure carried a bit more speed than my brain thought I could do it. So it's probably always there, so I might need to do it more often.”
It also the mindset that Palou will carry into Sunday’s Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250, as well.
“Yeah, for sure. That doesn't mean that I'll go crazy. Yeah, I would never do that. I wouldn't drive crazy. But for sure, if I'm on the fence of should I try and get that pass or not, I'll for sure go for it.”
Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment
The 28-year-old Palou believes he’s developed a great deal when it comes to short ovals compared to a year ago.
“Yeah, a lot, honestly, just the way I feel comfortable with the car. It's not that the car changed a lot, but it's more of like understanding what do I need from the car and how to utilize whenever I have understeer or oversteer, how to manage it.
“I think I've been a lot more comfortable on street and road courses.
“This year I'm trying to find those ways, and I think I'm discovering a little bit, bit by bit. I think qualifying is a different animal than when you go to a race. Although we won in Iowa, I think that yellow helped us a ton. We were dropping back like a stone.
“That's the kind of stuff that we really need to work (on), try and get better in race and try and get better in traffic. I think there's a couple of cars and drivers around that were in Iowa a ton better than me going through traffic. That's what I need to work towards for tomorrow.”
According to Palou, there have been times when he’s felt comfortable in practice on short ovals, but hasn’t had the speed to put his car on pole. That wasn’t the case on Saturday at The Mile.
“Yeah, I think I knew that the car, at least after practice, that it was towards the direction I wanted. I still needed a little bit more help from the car, and Julian (Robertson), my engineer, did small changes on the springs and found a way to get me a bit more comfortable.
“I put that in my brain and I was like, just go for it. Worst-case scenario you're just going to lose a little bit, apex, and that's it, you're going to do a bad lap. I was a bit more uncomfortable, but after lap 1, I was like, I kind of like this.
“Yes, I think I discovered something here at Milwaukee at least for qualifying. That doesn't mean that it's the same for tomorrow.”
Paul Hurley/Penske Entertainment
With eight wins on the season and two races remaining, Palou still has the opportunity to tie the INDYCAR series record of ten wins in a season, set by A.J. Foyt in 1964 and equaled by Al Unser, Sr. in 1970. According to Palou, matching that mark is obviously what he and the team are working towards.
“I think that's our biggest goal. It's a goal that probably I'm not going to have the chance to try and get it again in my career, so having that chance, I need to go for it.
“I know the best way is to obviously start up front and to try and win tomorrow, so yeah, I don't know what it would mean. I guess it would just make this year even more magical.”
Dennis Krause has spent decades covering all forms of motorsports, including over 40 Indianapolis 500s, with stints at WIBA Radio, PIT PASS - Radio’s Premier Motorsports Magazine and Motorsports Minute. Follow him on X @DennisKrause500 or motorsportsminute.bluesky.social or motorsportsminute on Threads or MotorsportsMinute+ on Facebook.