Alex Palou wins IndyCar Nashville Grand Prix, extending championship lead

Alex Palou, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, secured victory at the Bourbon Music City Grand Prix on the Nashville Speedway, his fifth win of the 2026 IndyCar season. He finished 0.87 seconds ahead of Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, widening his points lead to 83 over second‑place David Malukas, who climbed from 25th on the grid to finish third. Scott McLaughlin and Felix Rosenqvist completed the top five.

Strategic pit stops and two caution periods – the first triggered by Caio Collet’s crash and the second by an incident involving Scott Dixon and Alexander Rossi – allowed Palou to take the lead after the midway point and maintain it to the finish. The result further solidifies Palou’s dominance in the championship, now standing at 457 points compared with 374 for Malukas and 370 for Kyle Kirkwood.

The race featured a strong showing from other competitors, including Mick Schumacher’s eighth‑place finish and a notable climb by Malukas, who rose from 14th to 8th before the final caution propelled him into podium contention.