Alex Palou Qualifies Third at Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
Barber Motorsports Park
・ Defending race winner, series champion Alex Palou tops NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying for Sunday's Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
・ Alexander Rossi rebounds from morning practice session crash to qualify fifth
Alex Palou, the popular winner of last year's Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and eventual 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, once again led the way for Honda today in qualifying for Sunday's 90-lap contest at the scenic Barber Motorsports Park.
Palou was one of two Honda drivers to advance to the final round of Firestone "Fast Six" qualifying, and will start his Chip Ganassi Racing Honda from third. Meanwhile, Alexander Rossi and his Andretti Autosport team rebounded from a crash in this morning's practice session, completing repairs to the #27 Honda in time for Rossi to also advance to the final round, and will start fifth.
Fast Facts
・ Honda-powered drivers and teams have won the two most recent NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at Barber Motorsports Park. Driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Takuma Sato dominated the race in 2019; starting from the pole and leading 74 or the 90-lap contest to score the victory. Honda drivers swept the victory podium that year, with Scott Dixon finishing second, and Sebastien Bourdais third.
・ The Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama was not run in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic; but opened the 2021 season, with Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou scoring his career-first Indy car win. Palou went on to win the 2021 INDYCAR Drivers' title as Honda recorded its fourth consecutive INDYCAR Manufacturers' Championship.
・ Other Honda-powered winners at Barber Motorsports Park include Helio Castroneves, who won the inaugural INDYCAR race here in 2010; Will Power in 2011; and Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2014.
It was a busy session; it was really close. The car was really fast, and we were improving every session. I'm really happy with the #10 The American Legion Honda and the starting position [third] for tomorrow. Same place we started [the race] in last year, and we won it.
It was a busy session; it was really close. The car was really fast, and we were improving every session. I'm really happy with the #10 The American Legion Honda and the starting position [third] for tomorrow. Same place we started [the race] in last year, and we won it.
I'm so grateful to everyone at Andretti Autosport. Not just my guys, but guys from all my teammates cars and the Honda engineers. It was a thrash [to complete repairs after a crash in morning practice], so I just appreciate the efforts in getting me back out there. Fifth is fine. You're always hoping for a little bit more in qualifying, but we'll go back, look at the data to see where the car's actually at, and go from there in the race tomorrow.
I'm so grateful to everyone at Andretti Autosport. Not just my guys, but guys from all my teammates cars and the Honda engineers. It was a thrash [to complete repairs after a crash in morning practice], so I just appreciate the efforts in getting me back out there. Fifth is fine. You're always hoping for a little bit more in qualifying, but we'll go back, look at the data to see where the car's actually at, and go from there in the race tomorrow.
