NTT INDYCAR SERIES: INDYCAR Power Rankings – It’s Alex Palou’s World
Updated Jul. 28, 2025, 8:46 p. choco mucho standingm. ET
By Bob Pockrass, FOX Motorsports Insider
The fight for the top of the INDYCAR rankings didn’t last long for Pato O’Ward. It’s now Alex Palou’s world, and all the other drivers are just trying to keep up, realizing that even a stellar season might not be enough to match Palou’s performance.
Palou recently celebrated after clinching victory at Laguna Seca, marking his eighth win of the season. He now has the opportunity to secure the championship title in just two weeks at Portland, holding a 121-point lead over O’Ward. To clinch his fourth championship, Palou needs to leave Portland with at least a 108-point lead.
Driver Rankings After Laguna Seca Weekend
Here’s how the drivers are ranked following the recent weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca:
- Dropped Out: Rinus VeeKay (Last Week: 10)
- On the Verge: Josef Newgarden, Graham Rahal, Christian Rasmussen
- 10. David Malukas (Last Week: 8)
Malukas had a strong qualifying round, making it to the Fast Six, but finished 13th in the race. Despite this, he has two top-10 finishes in his last three starts and hasn’t placed worse than 15th since early May. He currently sits 10th in the standings. - 9. sans hotel recto Felix Rosenqvist (Last Week: 6)
Unfortunately for Rosenqvist, he ended up in the barriers on the opening lap due to contact from Kyffin Simpson, finishing 24th. Starting from 12th, a mishap can occur in dense traffic, but the Meyer Shank driver didn’t get a chance to show his capabilities. He is sixth in the standings. - 8. Will Power (Last Week: Not Ranked)
Power started fifth and finished seventh, being the highest-placed Team Penske driver in the race. He’s currently ninth in the standings, despite two engine issues over the past month. - 7. Kyle Kirkwood (Last Week: 4)
Kirkwood had a forgettable race after receiving a stop-and-go penalty for avoidable contact with Rinus VeeKay. He finished 16th and has been mathematically eliminated from championship contention, though he remains fourth in the standings. - 6. Marcus Armstrong (Last Week: 5)
Armstrong continued his consistent performance, starting in 10th and finishing eighth. The Meyer Shank driver has achieved eight top-10 finishes in the last nine races, positioned eighth in the standings. - 5. Colton Herta (Last Week: 9)
Herta delivered a solid performance, starting and finishing in third place for his second podium of the season. With back-to-back finishes of fourth and third, he seems to be gaining momentum, although this comes late in the season. He is currently seventh in the standings. - 4. Scott Dixon (Last Week: 3)
Dixon finished fifth after starting ninth, marking his sixth top-five finish of the season. As a teammate of Palou at Ganassi and a six-time champion himself, Dixon has been mathematically ruled out of title contention and is currently third in the standings. - 3. Christian Lundgaard (Last Week: 7)
Lundgaard secured second place, marking his fifth podium of the season as he continues to chase his first win. phmacai He put forth a solid performance, finishing 3. sss-class suicide hunter8 seconds behind Palou and currently sits fifth in the standings. - 2. Pato O’Ward (Last Week: 1)
Not satisfied with the performance of his car, O’Ward still managed to push through for a fourth-place finish. The Arrow McLaren driver remains mathematically in the championship chase but trails a significant 121 points behind Palou. only hope chapter 21 - 1. Alex Palou (Last Week: 2)
Another pole position and another victory! Palou continues to dominate, claiming maximum points once again. The Ganassi driver has proven to be practically unbeatable this season, and it would take an enormous twist of fate for O’Ward to challenge him for the title.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports and has extensive experience in motorsports journalism, having covered over 30 Daytona 500s with contributions to various prestigious outlets. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
What are your thoughts on the current INDYCAR rankings?
