Power Rankings: Alex Palou Tightens Grip on No. 1 After Detroit Win

Editor’s Note: Power Rankings is a feature published after every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race in which INDYCAR.com staff writer Eric Smith ranks the top 10 drivers in the series based on recent and season-long performance, statistical trends and the eye test from race weekends.

Alex Palou earned his fourth victory of the season in Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear and retained the top spot in this week’s Power Rankings for the fifth straight race.

Palou edged Kyle Kirkwood, who vaulted from sixth to second following his runner-up finish in Detroit. It marks the fourth time this season the duo occupies the top two positions in the rankings.

Here are the top 10 drivers entering the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World Wide Technology Raceway (9 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

↓10. Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Clarience Technologies Team Penske Chevrolet, Last Rank: 8)

McLaughlin started third in Detroit and was running in that position before contact with former teammate Will Power on Lap 79 dropped him to a 19th-place finish. Despite the setback, he owns four top-10 finishes this season, including a third-place result in the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on May 24.

↑9. Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet, Last Rank: NR)

Newgarden returns to the Power Rankings after last appearing in seventh following the Sonsio Grand Prix, in which he finished fourth May 9. He has recorded two top-10 finishes in the last three races, including a 10th-place result in Detroit after starting 21st. His five top-10 finishes this season are highlighted by a victory in the Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway on March 7. Newgarden, a series champion in 2017 and 2019, has appeared in the Power Rankings every other race since Barber Motorsports Park on March 29. He also enters Sunday night’s race as one of the most accomplished drivers at World Wide Technology Raceway, with five victories in 10 starts.

↓8. Marcus Armstrong (No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Honda, Last Rank: 7)

Armstrong finished 11th in Detroit, giving him seven finishes of 11th or better in eight starts this season. That stretch includes a fifth-place finish in the Indianapolis 500, where he led on the white-flag lap before David Malukas completed a dramatic pass on the final restart. The New Zealand native has been ranked following six of the last seven races.

↑7. Graham Rahal (No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Honda, Last Rank: 10)

Rahal continued his recent surge with a third-place finish in Detroit, his third podium result in the last five races. He also has four top-eight finishes during that span, dating to his third-place result March 29 at Barber Motorsports Park. He also finished third in the Sonsio Grand Prix.

↓6. Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Last Rank: 5)

Lundgaard finished fifth in Detroit, his second top-five finish in the last four races. The other was his victory in the Sonsio Grand Prix on May 9. His only finishes outside the top 10 during that stretch were 20th at Long Beach and 17th in the Indianapolis 500. This is the sixth straight race he’s been ranked and fifth consecutive in the top six.

↓5. Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 SiriusXM Honda for Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian, Last Rank: 4)

Rosenqvist earned his third top-six finish in the last four races with a sixth-place run in Detroit after starting 16th. He also won the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. After averaging a 14th-place finish through the first four races of the season, Rosenqvist has improved to an average finish of eighth over the last four.

↓4. Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Last Rank: 3)

O’Ward dropped one spot to fourth after finishing fourth in Detroit. He also placed fourth in the Indianapolis 500, giving him six top-five finishes this season, including three in the last four races. He finished runner-up in last year’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway.

↓3. David Malukas (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Last Rank: 2)

Malukas’ top-10 streak ended after a qualifying crash forced him to start 25th in Detroit. He recovered to finish 18th, still his worst result of the season. The setback dropped him from second to third in the championship standings, 79 points behind Palou. Even so, he has six top-seven finishes in the last seven races, including runner-up results in both the Sonsio Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500. Malukas earned his first NTT P1 Award at Phoenix Raceway in March, making him a favorite this weekend at a similar WWTR track.

↑2. Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda, Last Rank: 6)

Kirkwood returned to near the top of the rankings after finishing second in Detroit. He was the fastest driver in both Friday and Saturday practice sessions and owns six top-five finishes in eight starts this season. The Andretti Global driver is the defending World Wide Technology race winner and finished runner-up this season on the 1-mile Phoenix Raceway oval.

↔1. Alex Palou (No. 10 HRC Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Last Rank: 1)

Palou strengthened his grip on the No. 1 spot by earning his fourth victory of the season and third in the last five races. The Spaniard has finished seventh or better in seven of eight starts this season and continues to lead the championship entering World Wide Technology Raceway.