2025 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio

Dixon Capitalizes on Palou's Mistake to Win Thrilling Honda Indy 200

Scott Dixon claimed victory in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, passing teammate Alex Palou on Lap 85 after a rare mistake to secure his first win of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season and his seventh at the 13-turn, 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The 90-lap, 203.22-mile race, run under sunny skies with 90-degree ambient temperatures and a 121.64-degree track surface, saw Dixon's two-stop strategy prevail over Palou's three-stop approach, culminating in a dramatic 0.4346-second margin of victory — the closest in a decade. Eight lead changes tied a track record, while Team Penske's trio struggled, finishing 23rd, 26th and 27th.

The race began with chaos as Josef Newgarden's No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet spun in Turn 4 on Lap 1, triggering a full-course yellow and prompting Graham Rahal to run into the gravel to avoid contact. Will Power and Devlin DeFrancesco pitted for emergency service, incurring back-of-the-field penalties. Palou, starting from pole in the No. 10 Open AI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, led the field at the Lap 5 restart, building a 2.3505-second gap over Christian Lundgaard's No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet by Lap 21.

Dixon's No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda leveraged the early caution for a two-stop strategy, pitting on Laps 30 and 61. "As soon as I saw the caution at the start… I was like, man, the two-stop is on," Dixon said in the post-race press conference.

His fuel-saving prowess allowed him to stretch 30-lap stints, though he battled a degrading left front tire on his second stint. Palou, Lundgaard and most of the top 10 — Colton Herta, Pato O'Ward, Marcus Armstrong and Kyle Kirkwood — opted for three stops, with Palou leading 75 laps but running wide in Turn 9 on Lap 85, handing Dixon the lead.

"I got into the marbles… it felt like ice," Palou said post-race, describing his Turn 9 error. "It was a good save."

Despite the mistake, Palou finished second, extending his championship lead to 113 points, while Lundgaard took third, marking his best Mid-Ohio result. Herta finished fourth in the No. 26 Andretti Global Honda, followed by O'Ward in fifth with the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Rosenqvist, the next-highest two-stop finisher, took sixth in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda, with Armstrong seventh, Kirkwood eighth, Rinus VeeKay ninth, Simpson 10th and Siegel 11th. Simpson, who stalled on pit exit during Lap 61 before hitting another team's crew member that ultimately led to a drive-through penalty, lost a potential podium. The race saw 123 total passes, including 110 for position, driven by varied tire strategies and hybrid deployment.

Team Penske's woes defined the day, with Newgarden's Lap 1 spin, Power's Lap 12 fire on the left rear (finishing 26th) and Scott McLaughlin's 23rd-place run in the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet. A Lap 31 caution, caused by Christian Rasmussen stopping off course in Turn 8, and penalties for Santino Ferrucci (three-position loss for avoidable contact with Conor Daly at Turn 5) and Simpson's pit stop further shaped the race.

"It's a pure driver's track," said Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi Racing's managing director, praising Dixon's old-school approach. The win, Ganassi's 13th at Mid-Ohio, underscored their dominance, with past victories from Alex Zanardi, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, Charlie Kimball and Palou.

Dixon's 59th career win, extending his 23-season and 21-consecutive-season win streaks, moved him within eight of A.J. Foyt's all-time record.

"This is big for team morale," Dixon noted, reflecting on a frustrating season. Honda's sweep of 2025 victories continued, a point Dixon celebrated: "Very good for Honda."

Rosenqvist Sets Pace in Clean Mid-Ohio Warm-Up

Felix Rosenqvist topped the warm-up session for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, posting a 1:05.2285 in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda for Meyer Shank Racing. The 25-minute session ran incident-free from 9:32 a.m. ET to 9:57 a.m. ET, offering teams a final chance to fine-tune setups before the 90-lap race under expected low-90s temperatures.

Rosenqvist's lap edged out Practice 2 leader Alex Palou (1:05.3961) and Practice 1 leader Kyle Kirkwood (1:05.8272), signaling strong race pace for Meyer Shank Racing at their home event.

"It's a home track for the team … it means a little bit extra for all of us," Rosenqvist said in Friday's media bullpen, reflecting on the significance of performing well in front of local fans.

The clean session, a contrast to Friday's three red flags and Saturday's Marcus Ericsson crash in Practice 2, allowed drivers to focus on tire management and hybrid deployment, critical in the heat.

Palou, starting from pole in the No. 10 Open AI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, remains a favorite after his 1:05.0215 in the Firestone Fast Six. Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) and Kyffin Simpson (No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda), starting second and third, respectively, also showed competitive pace. Local favorite Graham Rahal, in the No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Honda, will start 20th. Rahal's focus on race pace, as noted Friday, will be key in the grueling conditions.

With the starting lineup now official post-warm-up, teams face strategic decisions on tire compounds — five primary and five alternate sets — and hybrid usage, especially with IndyCar's potential power reductions due to heat, as Rahal cautioned. The Honda Indy 200 airs live at 1 p.m. ET on FOX and the INDYCAR Radio Network
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Palou Claims Pole in Swelteringly Competitive Mid-Ohio Qualifying

Alex Palou secured the NTT P1 Award for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio with a blistering 1:05.0215 in the Firestone Fast Six, earning his third pole of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season and the ninth of his career. The qualifying session unfolded under grueling conditions, with ambient temperatures reaching 91 degrees and track temperatures peaking at 125 degrees, per Firestone engineers. A penalty for Rinus VeeKay and a post-session grid adjustment for Christian Rasmussen shaped the provisional starting lineup for the 90-lap race.

The session followed the standard NTT IndyCar Series format: two Round 1 groups, each with 10 minutes of track time, advancing the top six to a 10-minute Round 2, with the fastest six from Round 2 competing in a six-minute Firestone Fast Six. Partly cloudy skies and south-southwest winds at 9 mph added complexity as drivers pushed their limits on the reconfigured track, particularly at the flatter Turn 4.

Round 1, Group 1: Starting at 2:35 p.m. ET, Group 1 saw Christian Lundgaard lead with a 1:05.2835 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Joining him in advancing to Round 2 were Marcus Ericsson, Colton Herta, Nolan Siegel, Christian Rasmussen and Kyffin Simpson. The session ran cleanly, with drivers adapting to the high track temperatures that challenged tire performance on the Firestone alternate tires.

Round 1, Group 2: Beginning at 2:51 p.m. ET, Group 2 was marred by an incident involving Rinus VeeKay, whose No. 18 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet caused a local yellow, affecting another competitor. Race Control issued a penalty, stripping VeeKay's best lap but allowing him to advance with a 1:05.8516, good for 13th in the group. Alex Palou topped the group with a 1:05.2043 in the No. 10 Open AI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, followed by Louis Foster, Scott Dixon, Kyle Kirkwood, Marcus Armstrong and Alexander Rossi. The results were finalized at 3:02 p.m. ET, with VeeKay ultimately ranked 26th overall.

Round 2: At 3:12 p.m. ET, with the track temperature climbing to 125 degrees, the 12 advancing drivers battled for Firestone Fast Six spots. Louis Foster set the pace at 1:05.0897 in the No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda, joined by Lundgaard, Palou, Herta, Siegel and Simpson. Those missing the cut — Dixon, Kirkwood, Armstrong, Rossi, David Malukas and Felix Rosenqvist — were slotted into positions seven through 12 based on their fastest laps, with Dixon posting a 1:05.3944 and Rosenqvist a 1:05.6392.

Firestone Fast Six: Starting at 3:32 p.m. ET, with the track cooling slightly to 118 degrees, Palou delivered a commanding 1:05.0215 to claim pole, followed by Lundgaard (1:05.2126), Simpson (1:05.7555), Siegel (1:05.9262), Herta (1:06.1218) and Foster (1:06.2398).

"We went on a brand new set of softs for Fast Six instead of keeping it for the race … to try and get that pole, and it worked out," Palou said in the post-qualifying press conference, highlighting the strategic gamble in the intense heat.

The provisional grid, official after Sunday's warm-up, was further impacted by a six-position penalty for Christian Rasmussen's No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Honda, due to an unapproved engine change following a June 25 test at Iowa Speedway, per INDYCAR Rule 16.1.2.3.2. Rasmussen, who qualified 10th, will drop to 16th, with drivers from 11th to 16th moving up one position. VeeKay's penalty contributed to a 26th-place finish, underscoring the session's intensity.

Local favorite Graham Rahal, in the No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Honda, will start 20th. "Flat out, people in Ohio take a lot of Ohio pride," Rahal said Friday, emphasizing the home crowd's support. With temperatures expected to remain in the low 90s, the heat — already a factor in Friday's three red flags and Saturday's Ericsson crash in Practice 2 — will continue to test drivers and strategies, as Rahal noted potential hybrid power reductions.

Palou Tops Practice 2 at Mid-Ohio as Ericsson Crashes

The NTT IndyCar Series continued preparations for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio with a disrupted Practice 2 session on Saturday, July 5, at the 13-turn, 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Alex Palou set the fastest lap of the session at 1:05.3961, taking the overall lead across both practice sessions, while a red flag for Marcus Ericsson's crash in Turn 13 interrupted the 45-minute session.

Practice 2, delayed briefly to clear debris from a prior event, began at 10:36 a.m. ET under sunny skies with an ambient temperature of 87 degrees and a track temperature of 100.4 degrees, per Firestone engineers. Southwest winds at 8 mph added a slight variable as drivers tested their setups, utilizing the weekend's allotment of five primary and five alternate sets. A total of 594 laps were completed.

The session ran smoothly until 11:01 a.m., when Marcus Ericsson slid off course and made hard contact with the tire barrier in Turn 13, triggering a red flag. Ericsson climbed from his No. 28 FOX Sports Honda unassisted and was cleared by INDYCAR medical director Dr. Julia Vaizer. The session resumed at 11:09 a.m. and ran to its 11:30 a.m. checkered flag, with Palou's 1:05.3961 edging out Friday's overall leader, Kyle Kirkwood, who had posted a 1:05.8272 in Practice 1.

Palou's pace in the No. 10 OpenAI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda reinforces his status as the 2024 Mid-Ohio pole sitter and the championship contender to beat with six wins in 2025. The session highlighted the challenges of the reconfigured Turn 4, which local favorite Graham Rahal noted for its reduced banking and potential impact on braking zones. The high track temperatures and humidity continued to test driver endurance, setting the stage for a physically demanding qualifying session later today.

Kirkwood, defending race winner Pato O'Ward, and Josef Newgarden, who topped Practice 1's Group 2, remain threats as the field heads into qualifying at 2:35 p.m. ET on FS1. For Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Graham Rahal aims to build on recent road-course momentum, with race pace and strategy as key focus areas. Fans can follow qualifying live on FS1 and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Practice 1 Recap for Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio

The NTT IndyCar Series launched the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio weekend with a dramatic Practice 1 session on Friday, July 4, at the 13-turn, 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Kyle Kirkwood set the overall fastest lap at 1:05.8272, topping both the Group 1 session and the combined timesheet, while three red flags disrupted the flow as drivers navigated the recently reconfigured Turn 4 in temperatures reaching the low 90s.

The session opened at 4:35 p.m. ET with a 40-minute all-cars segment, followed by two 12-minute group sessions. Rookie drivers Jacob Abel, Louis Foster and Robert Shwartzman participated in both groups, logging a combined 358 laps in the all-cars segment, 567 laps in Group 1 (including rookies) and 116 laps in Group 2 (including rookies).

Will Power led the all-cars segment with a 1:06.8215, though his time ranked 21st overall. Three stoppages marked the session. At 4:43 p.m., Jacob Abel spun between Turns 1 and 2, triggering a red flag and a five-minute penalty for causing the stoppage. Abel continued under his own power, allowing a restart at 4:45 p.m. At 4:57 p.m., David Malukas contacted the tire barrier in Turn 4, prompting another red flag. Malukas exited his car unassisted and was cleared by INDYCAR medical director Dr. Julia Vaizer. The session resumed at 5:02 p.m., but Colton Herta's contact with the barrier in Turn 6 at 5:14 p.m. brought out a third red flag and a five-minute penalty. Herta returned to the pits under his own power, and the all-cars segment ended at 5:15 p.m.

Group 1, including rookies, ran cleanly from 5:21 p.m. to 5:34 p.m., with Kirkwood's 1:05.8272 setting the session and overall benchmark. The reconfigured Turn 4, noted by Graham Rahal for its reduced banking and potential impact on braking zones, challenged drivers' setups. Group 2, also including rookies, started at 5:37 p.m. but paused at 5:42 p.m. when Felix Rosenqvist pulled off in Turn 4, triggering a red flag. The session resumed at 5:46 p.m., and Josef Newgarden topped the group with a 1:06.1791.

Kirkwood's pace signals his intent to challenge another win in 2025, while the high humidity and temperatures in the low 90s underscored the weekend's physical demands. Rahal, aiming to capitalize on Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's road-course momentum, emphasized race pace and strategy as key focus areas. With defending winner Pato O'Ward and 2024 pole-sitter Alex Palou in the mix, Saturday's Practice 2 (10:30 a.m. ET, FS1) and qualifying (2:35 p.m. ET, FS1) promise a fierce battle. Fans can follow live via FOX Sports and the INDYCAR Radio Network.