Alex Palou of Spain Claims Victory in First Oval Track Race at Indianapolis 500

Alex Palou is the first Spaniard to win the biggest event in American auto racing, and he did it on his very first attempt at an oval track. 

The driver from the Chip Ganassi Racing team, aged 28, clinched victory at the Indianapolis 500 last Sunday despite leading for just 14 laps. Surprisingly, Palou only took the lead for the first time at lap 187 of the race.

Of course, Palou was leading when it counted, and now the Barcelona native has won five of six races to start the 2025 IndyCar Series. 

Palou expressed his uncertainty about overtaking Marcus Ericsson from Sweden, who came in second, saying, ‘There were moments during the race where I felt really confident, but towards the end, I was unsure if I could pass Marcus.’

After his interview with Fox Sports, Palou followed the tradition of celebrating his win at the Indy 500 by drinking milk from a glass bottle. He also shared the moment with his wife Esther, who was holding their young daughter.

Meanwhile, Ericsson climbed from his car and pressed his hands to his face at the disappointment of coming oh-so close to a second Indianapolis 500 victory.

Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) of Spain celebrates with his family in the winner’s circle after winning the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) of Spain celebrates in the winner’s circle after winning the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

David Malukas was third for A.J. Foyt Racing and the highest-finishing Chevrolet.

Josef Newgarden’s bid to win three consecutive Indy 500s ended with a fuel pump issue. He was trying to become the first driver to come from the back row to win because he and Team Penske teammate Will Power were dropped to the back of the field for failing inspection before qualifying.

It was a different race for much of the day at the Brickyard. Ryan Hunter-Reay was the leader at the halfway point as he looked for a second victory in ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’

Hunter-Reay, in a one-off entry for DRR-Cusick Motorsports, won the Indy 500 in 2014 as a driver for Andretti Global. Him leading Sunday with 100 laps remaining was fitting for a race that was first briefly delayed by rain and then hit with a rash of weird incidents.

Scott McLaughlin crashed on the warm-up lap while swerving to get heat in his tires. Scott Dixon had a brake fire before the race went green and then Marco Andretti was crashed on the first lap.

Alex Palou is the first Spaniard to win the biggest event in American auto racing

Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) of Spain celebrates winning the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Kyle Larson’s dream of completing auto racing’s classic double on Sunday ended early after he crashed on lap 91 of the Indianapolis 500.

Larson was heading into Turn 2 after the IndyCar race returned to green on that lap. He lost control as he went low into the turn and downshifted. That led to Larson spinning and crashing into Sting Ray Robb.

Larson got out of the car on his own. He said he will head to Charlotte, N.C., where he is scheduled to race in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday evening.

‘I got loose and just kind of got all over the place,’ Larson said on the FOX broadcast. ‘… I got a little too eager there on the restart and caused that crash. I hate it for everybody that got caught up in it.

‘Bummed out. (Will) try to get over this quickly and get on with Charlotte. Try to forget about it and win the next one.’

Larson left the Indy 500 grounds a short time later via helicopter to start the journey to Charlotte.

Earlier in the race, Larson’s car stalled during a pit stop, costing him time and positions.

Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian driver Marcus Armstrong (66) works to avoid colliding with Andretti Herta with Marco & Curb-Agajanian driver Marco Andretti (98) 

Kyle Larson, second from left, is checked after he hit the wall in the second turn 

It was reminiscent of the 1992 Indianapolis 500, when pole-sitter Roberto Guerrero spun out and crashed while also trying to warm up his tires during the parade laps. 

‘I really have no idea what happened,’ a heartbroken McLaughlin said. ‘I can´t believe we´re out of the race. I had so much hope. It´s the worst moment of my life.’

The Indianapolis 500 sold out its grandstands for the first time in nearly a decade, and the local TV blackout that has been in place since 1951 has been lifted so fans in central Indiana will be able to watch the race live.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles said Monday that while its roughly 230,000 grandstand seats had sold out, general admission infield tickets were still available. He expects a crowd of about 350,000 race fans – or about 1 for every 1,000 people living in the U.S. – would be at the track Sunday for the 109th running of ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’

‘From our longest-tenured ticket-holders who have been coming to the Racing Capital of the World for generations to new fans who’ve recently fallen in love with this iconic event, everyone has contributed to this exciting and historic moment,’ Boles wrote in a letter to fans. ‘I am grateful for the support and passion you have for this race and this place.’

Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) of Spain celebrates with Chip Ganassi after winning the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500

The lifting of the local TV blackout was good news for Fox, which will be broadcasting the race for the first time, as well as NBA fans in central Indiana. Normally, the race would be aired locally after its conclusion Sunday evening, creating a conflict with the Pacers set to host the Knicks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference final the same night.

‘Fox Sports is all in on IndyCar, and this is an incredible accomplishment to celebrate with our first Indy 500 broadcast,’ Fox Sports chief executive Eric Shanks said. ‘As a lifelong fan, I am also personally thrilled to see the grandstands filled on race day and look forward to broadcasting the race live in central Indiana.’

The first sellout since the 100th running in 2016 had been imminent with Boles telling fans late last week that few grandstand tickets were still available.