Note: The Penske Entertainment editorial staff is looking back at the 10 biggest moments of 2024 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in this year-end series, with one installment appearing on the site per day in countdown fashion from Dec. 22-31.
Alex Palou became the first repeat NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion since Dario Franchitti from 2009-2011. Palou’s 2023 and 2024 title-winning seasons were kickstarted by victories in the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
The Spaniard captured his second consecutive Sonsio Grand Prix race win May 11 when he held off Will Power by 6.6106 seconds for his first points-paying victory of the season.
Chip Ganassi Racing took three of the top five spots, as six-time series champion Scott Dixon finished fourth in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda and Marcus Armstrong was fifth in the No. 11 IU Simon Cancer Center Honda. The Ganassi team has won the last three road races at IMS, as Palou repeated as winner of this event and Dixon won the Gallagher Grand Prix last August.
Christian Lundgaard took the lead from Palou in Turn 2 of the opening lap – one of a record 13 lead changes for this event – and stayed out front until making his first pit stop on Lap 19 along with Palou, who was running second after Team Penske’s Will Power made his first stop on Lap 18.
That set the stage for a three-way tactical fight that was as much about strategists and pit crews as drivers for the rest of the race.
The decisive stops took place at the end of the second stint. Power dove into the pits late on Lap 39, attempting to undercut leader Lundgaard, who pitted on the next lap in reaction to Power’s surprise early stop.
It appeared Power, charging down the front straightaway on hot Firestone Firehawk tires, might jump Lundgaard when Lundgaard exited the pits on Lap 40. But the No. 28 Delaware Life Honda of Marcus Ericsson was between Lundgaard and Power, letting Lundgaard keep the advantage.
Meanwhile, Palou stopped on Lap 41 on an overcut strategy and left the pits ahead of Lundgaard. When the rest of the field cycled through its stops, Palou found himself out front on Lap 45 and steadily increased his gap over Lundgaard.
Most of the 27-car field made its final stops between Laps 62-65. Palou cycled into the lead for good on Lap 65. He held off the field despite a late-race restart.
