Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi have their first conversation in weeks after Nashville race

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi had their first in-person conversation Sunday in roughly a month, and the banter was surprisingly upbeat and cordial.

After a third in the Music City Grand Prix – his best finish in five races since his bitter contract dispute began — Palou received a hearty congratulations (at the 3:15 mark of this video) from Ganassi, whose team sued the defending NTT IndyCar Series champion two weeks ago.

Palou said it was the first in-person conversation they’d had since he announced July 12 that he was leaving the team for McLaren Racing next year.

“We didn’t really have a chat one to one since them,” Palou said. “But, yeah, we see each other in the (team’s) trailers and stuff, and it’s not like we avoid each other.”

Was he surprised by the sudden thaw from Ganassi after getting a mostly cold shoulder for weeks?

“No, not at all,” Palou said. “No. I mean, no.”

The difference, he said, was that Ganassi celebrates podiums – and the team had two Sunday with Palou and Scott Dixon, who delivered the second consecutive victory in the Nashville street race to CGR.

“It’s not like (Ganassi) would be happy if I finished top five, to be honest,” Palou said. “Yeah, top three, I think, he was — even if Scott didn’t win the race, he would come and congratulate. Yeah, he is happy.”

Ganassi should be pleased that he has three bonafide shots at winning the 2022 IndyCar championship with three races remaining this season.

Dixon is six points behind leader Will Power, and Marcus Ericsson is 12 points behind in third.

Palou is ranked 33 points behind Josef Newgarden in fifth, and the Spaniard believes he will be given a fair shake at winning a second consecutive championship despite the inherent