Alex Palou Claims Pole Position at Milwaukee Mile 250

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Alex Palou won the NTT P1 Award on Saturday at the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250, achieving an impressive two-lap average speed of 162.971 mph with his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. This victory marks Palou’s sixth pole of the season and follows his recent NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship secured on August 10.

Palou’s triumph came during the final qualifying attempt, where he edged out David Malukas, who qualified second with an average speed of 162.256 mph. ‘I knew I had a good car,’ Palou said. ‘I just wanted to get everything out of it, so I just fired as much speed as I think it could handle. It feels amazing to get a pole here.’ This is Palou’s second oval NTT P1 Award this year, having previously won in July during the Iowa Speedway doubleheader.

With eight race victories this season, Palou is tied for the third-most wins in a single season in INDYCAR SERIES history. This includes his first oval win at the legendary Indianapolis 500 in May. He also made a memorable comeback during qualifying, seizing the pole position from Malukas just before the session ended.

Malukas expressed disappointment but remained optimistic about the race. ‘I crossed that line and I knew it was fast,’ he said. ‘We have a good race car. We can still do a lot from up there.’ This will mark Malukas’s fourth front-row start in the last 21 events, showcasing his consistent qualifying performance.

Pato O’Ward qualified third at 162.078 mph, followed by Scott McLaughlin in fourth at 161.758 mph, and Scott Dixon in fifth at 160.951 mph. Dixon will, however, move back nine spots on the starting grid due to an unscheduled engine change.

Today’s race is expected to be competitive, with 27 cars vying for the title. Fans can tune in at 2 p.m. ET on FOX. As Palou aims for his ninth win, he has his sights set on tying the record for most wins in a single season held by legends A.J. Foyt and Al Unser.