Alex Palou talks Indy 500 pole, why he loves going 234 mph and a Chip Ganassi surprise

INDIANAPOLIS – On the pole position of an oval race for the first time in his life, Alex Palou will start the Indy 500 knowing that his lead will be short-lived.

For the past three years, the first lap of the Indianapolis 500 has ended without the pole-sitter in first. Last year, Palou started second and led the first seven laps after passing Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon. The same fate befell Dixon in 2021, and Marco Andretti never led a lap despite starting first in 2020.

So Palou will be tempering his expectations for taking the green flag in the 107th edition of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

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“I’m going to control the first lap with the first two corners, because it’s almost guaranteed that I’m not going to lead the first lap,” Palou told NBC Sports with a chuckle about winning the pole. “So I’m ready for not to lead the first lap! And hopefully we can lead the second one.”

Ideally, all that really matters is the last one – but in a 500-mile race with several pit stops, untimely caution flags and varying strategies among 33 cars, there are so many variables beyond what drivers and teams are able to control.

That was driven home last year when Palou led 42 of the first 68 laps but then got caught out while leading because of an untimely caution (he went to the rear when forced to stop for fuel with the pits closed). His No. 10 Dallara-Honda was unable to make a full recovery and finished 10th despite leading the second-most laps (behind Dixon, who led a race-high 95 of 200 before a costly speeding penalty in the pits).

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