By: Spencer Neff
May 8, 2026

Practice Results

NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Alex Palou began to pick up where he left off at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year.

The Chip Ganassi Racing drive posted the fastest lap in Friday morning’s practice session. On Saturday, he goes fore a fourth consecutive win at the Sonsio Grand Prix on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn permanent road course in Speedway, Indiana to kick off the month of May. In 2025, Palou joined Will Power and Simon Pagenaud (2018 and 2019) as drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 after winning on the road course in the same month.

His fastest lap in the session was a 1m10.0904 (125.273). Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal was .1075 of a second back with Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood and Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist leading a 1-2-3-4 effort for Honda-powered cars.

David Malukas was best among the Chevrolets in fifth as he begins his first race at IMS with Team Penske. His previous best finish here is 12th (May 2022) with a best start of 11th (August 2022).

Last year’s INDY NXT by Firestone winner (Race 2) Dennis Hauger ended the session best among the rookies in 18th. Both the 40-minute “all-skate” session and subsequent 12-minute group sessions were completed without major incident.

Up Next

Here is the remaining on-track schedule for the weekend. Stick with IndyCar1909.com for the latest on the Sonsio Grand Prix and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

At-track schedule (all times local):

FRIDAY, MAY 8

1:05-2:25 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 2 (split group format), FS1 (Live)

5:35 p.m. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockout

qualifications), FS2 (Live)

SATURDAY, MAY 9

11:40 a.m.-12:10 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, FS1 (Live)

4:30 p.m. FOX on air

4:40 p.m. Sonsio Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”

4:47 p.m. Sonsio Grand Prix (85 laps/207.3 miles), FOX (Live)

Header Image By Chris Owens/INDYCAR