Alex Palou leads Honda drivers on a championship-winning weekend in Milwaukee
Milwaukee MileAlex Palou led Honda drivers today in Milwaukee, with fifth place in the Snap-On 250, part of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES' Milwaukee Mile double-header weekend.
Alex Palou led Honda drivers today in Milwaukee, with fifth place in the Snap-On 250, part of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES' Milwaukee Mile double-header weekend.
In race two, The Snap-On 250—which finished before the conclusion of race one due to a rain delay—Alex Palou started from pole, his eighth of the year and was the highest-finishing Honda at the line in fifth place. He finished just ahead of championship rival and fellow Honda driver Kyle Kirkwood. Kirkwood marched 18 positions from 24th at the start to sixth at the line, the biggest mover in the race.
Following 90 laps and a 25-hour red flag, race one—the Snap-On Makers and Fixers 250—would finish on Sunday night. A pair of Marcus', Ericsson and Armstrong, would lead Honda finishers in eighth and ninth, respectively. While a 10th place finish was enough for Alex Palou to secure his fifth NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and fourth in a row.
There is still one race remaining in the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the Mission Grand Prix of Monterey, but Palou and Honda have wrapped up both the drivers' and manufacturers' titles.
This is Honda's eighth championship in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and 12th in American Open Wheel competition. Honda's previous titles came in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, a four-year consecutive run from 2018 to 2021, and 2025.
Palou's five titles place him third on the all-time list, with only his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon (six titles), and IndyCar legend AJ Foyt (seven titles) with more. He is also the youngest driver to reach five titles, taking that honor before his 30th birthday.
Honda is still chasing one more title in the season finale, the rookie of the year honors, in which Honda drivers Dennis Hauger and Mick Schumacher sit 1-2 in the fight.
The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES concludes with the Mission Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca September 4-6.
We did it! Five-time champion! What an incredible year—years honestly! I just want to thank everyone at CGR and at Honda for giving me everything I needed to make this possible. They deliver every year, but especially this year. I can't believe we won five! It's just incredible.
We did it! Five-time champion! What an incredible year—years honestly! I just want to thank everyone at CGR and at Honda for giving me everything I needed to make this possible. They deliver every year, but especially this year. I can't believe we won five! It's just incredible.
From a performance standpoint, Milwaukee was a challenging weekend for us and we know we have work to do. At the same time, clinching both the Manufacturers' and Drivers' Championships with 1 race to go is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to the dedication and commitment of our HRC associates and our Honda teams and drivers throughout the season. Congratulations to Honda, HRC US and Alex Palou and CGR! Titles are earned through months of preparation, effort, and execution over the course of an entire season. We're proud of these achievements, grateful to our teams and partners, and we look forward to ending the season strong at Laguna Seca.
From a performance standpoint, Milwaukee was a challenging weekend for us and we know we have work to do. At the same time, clinching both the Manufacturers' and Drivers' Championships with 1 race to go is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to the dedication and commitment of our HRC associates and our Honda teams and drivers throughout the season. Congratulations to Honda, HRC US and Alex Palou and CGR! Titles are earned through months of preparation, effort, and execution over the course of an entire season. We're proud of these achievements, grateful to our teams and partners, and we look forward to ending the season strong at Laguna Seca.