Though there will be no repeat clinching of the championship, Alex Palou can take a major step toward wrapping up a third NTT IndyCar Series title Sunday at Portland International Raceway (3 p.m. ET, USA and Peacock).
Palou is the defending winner at the final road course of the 2024 season. Last year, he claimed his second championship in three years with his second career victory at the track, which held the penultimate race of the 2023 season.
With three oval races remaining (Aug. 31-Sept. 1 at the Milwaukee Mile and Sept. 15 at Nashville Superspeedway), this year, Palou can’t leave Portland with a margin that would assure him of being IndyCar’s first repeat champion since Dario Franchitti (who won three consecutive championships from 2009-11).
But the Chip Ganassi Racing star can go a long way toward sewing up the crowd in the Pacific Northwest. Palou leads Colton Herta by 59 points, and the maximum points available to a race winner is 54 (with a minimum of five for starting a race).
So if Palou can earn his third victory this season Sunday, he would be well positioned for clinching possibly in Milwaukee (where IndyCar most recently raced in 2015).
After Herta in the championship standings, Scott Dixon is 65 points behind Palou in third, followed by Will Power (minus-66) and Scott McLaughlin (minus-73).
The Team Penske drivers are the only other active drivers to win at Portland (Power in 2019; McLaughlin in 2022).
Juri Vips will make his season debut in a fourth car for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, increasing the starting grid to 28 drivers.
Here are the details for the IndyCar Grand Prix of Portland race weekend (all times are ET):
INDYCAR PORTLAND START TIMES
TV: Sunday’s race broadcast will begin at 3 p.m. ET on USA and Peacock
Kevin Lee is the announcer with analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry and Dillon Welch are the pit reporters. Peacock also will be the streaming broadcast for both practices and qualifying and Indy NXT races. (Click here for information on how to sign up for Peacock.)
INDYCAR RADIO NETWORK: The IndyCar and Indy NXT races and all practices and qualifying sessions will air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the IndyCar app.
COMMAND TO START ENGINES: 3:23 p.m.
GREEN FLAG: 3:30 p.m.
RACE DISTANCE: The race is 110 laps (216.04 miles) on a 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course in Portland, Oregon.
TIRE ALLOTMENT: Six sets primary, four sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. One additional set of primary tires may be used by teams fielding a rookie driver. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race. Indy NXT teams receive three sets for the weekend with a carryover set from Indy GP for the first practice.
PUSH TO PASS: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation (Indy NXT: 150 seconds total; 15 seconds per). The push-to-pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. The feature increases the power of the engine by approximately 60 horsepower.
HYBRID ENERGY DEPLOYMENT: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 260 kilojoules (kj) per lap
FORECAST: According to Wunderground.com, it’s expected to be 68 degrees with an 11% chance of rain at the green flag.
PRACTICE: Friday, 5:55 p.m (Peacock); Saturday, noon, 8:15 p.m. (Peacock)
QUALIFYING: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (Peacock)
STARTING LINEUP: Click here for the 28-car grid at Portland
ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 28 cars entered in the Grand Prix of Portland
INDY NXT RACE: Sunday, 1:10 p.m., Peacock
INDY NXT ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 17 cars entered in the Indy NXT race
INDYCAR GRAND PRIX OF PORTLAND WEEKEND SCHEDULE
(All times are ET)
Friday, Aug. 23
Noon-12:30 p.m.: USF Juniors qualifying
12:45-1:15 p.m.: USF2000 practice
1:30 -2 p.m.: USF Pro 2000 practice
2:15-2:55 p.m.: USF Juniors Race 1
3:10-3:40 p.m.: USF2000 qualifying
3:55-4:25 p.m.: USF Pro 2000 qualifying
4:45-5:30 p.m.: Indy NXT practice
5:55-7:10 p.m.: IndyCar practice (Peacock)
7:30-8:10 p.m.: USF2000 Race 1
8:25-9:05 p.m.: USF Pro 2000 Race 1
9:20-10:00 p.m.: USF Juniors Race 2
Saturday, Aug. 24
Noon-1 p.m.: IndyCar practice (Peacock)
1:20-2 p.m.: USF2000 Race 2
2:20-3:05 p.m.: Indy NXT practice
3:30-5 p.m.: IndyCar qualifying (Peacock)
5:15-5:55 p.m.: USF Juniors Race 3
6:10-7 p.m.: USF Pro 2000 Race 2
7:20-7:50 p.m.: Indy NXT Qualifying
8:15-8:45 p.m.: IndyCar practice (Peacock)
9:05-9:45 p.m.: USF2000 Race 3
Sunday, Aug. 25
1:20-2:15 p.m.: Indy NXT Race (35 Laps or 55 mins, Peacock)
3:30 p.m.: Grand Prix of Portland (110 Laps, USA and Peacock)
2024 SEASON RECAPS
ROUND 1: Josef Newgarden dominates in season opener l Results, points
$1 MILLION CHALLENGE: Alex Palou takes big payday l Results
ROUND 2: Scott Dixon sublimely saves fuel to win Long Beach l Results, points
ROUND 3: Scott McLaughlin wins from the pole at Barber l Results, points
ROUND 4: Alex Palou wins again on the Indy road course l Results, points
ROUND 5: Josef Newgarden repeat winner at Indy 500 l Results, points
ROUND 6: Scott Dixon wins another wild Detroit race l Results, points
ROUND 7: Will Power ends 34-race winless streak at Road America l Results, points
ROUND 8: Alex Palou takes championship lead with Laguna Seca win l Results, points
ROUND 9: Pato O’Ward outduels Alex Palou at Mid-Ohio l Results, points
ROUND 10: Scott McLaughlin is an IndyCar oval winner for the first time l Results, points
ROUND 11: Will Power earns first Iowa win; Robb OK after massive crash l Results, points
ROUND 12: Colton Herta snaps two-year winless skid with victory at Toronto l Results, points
ROUND 13: Penske stays perfect on ovals in 2024 with Newgarden win l Results, points
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