Alex Palou secured the pole position at the Milwaukee Mile on Saturday, August 23, marking his sixth pole of the 2025 IndyCar season and the twelfth of his career. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver earned the top qualifying spot with a two-lap average speed of 162.971 mph in his No. 10 Honda, continuing his dominant form even after clinching the NTT IndyCar Series championship earlier at Portland International Raceway.
Palou Extends His Record with a Fast Milwaukee Mile Qualifying Run
Palou’s performance on the oval track demonstrated his skill and determination, delivering his second career oval pole after previously winning Race 2 at Iowa Speedway. His speed edged out a strong field of 27 drivers, including notable competitors like David Malukas and Pato O’Ward. Palou reflected on the effort, saying,
“I knew I had a good car,”
and added,
“I just wanted to get everything out of it. I just fired as much speed as I thought it would handle and a little bit more, and it sticked. It feels amazing to get the pole here.”
—Alex Palou, Driver
Close Competition from Malukas and O’Ward in Milwaukee Qualifying
David Malukas appeared poised to claim his first career IndyCar pole, holding a strong pace during qualifying and ultimately finishing second with an average speed of 162.256 mph. This will mark Malukas’s second consecutive runner-up start at the Milwaukee Mile. Meanwhile, Pato O’Ward narrowly missed overtaking Malukas, securing the third-best time at 162.078 mph. Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske posted the fourth-fastest time, lining up next to O’Ward on the second row.
Grid Penalties Shake Up Starting Positions for Several Drivers
Scott Dixon, who qualified fifth, will face a nine-place grid penalty due to unscheduled engine changes, pushing him back to start 14th. This penalty also affects Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyffin Simpson, who qualified further back but will drop to 26th after the penalty is applied. Louis Foster, driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan, also received a nine-place penalty following an engine change during practice, placing him at the back of the 27-car field.
Other notable placements include Will Power and Kyle Kirkwood starting in the third row, with Josef Newgarden, Conor Daly, and Christian Rasmussen completing the top 10 starters. Colton Herta suffered a spin on his first lap but managed to avoid contact with the wall, resulting in a 24th-place start. Felix Rosenqvist was less fortunate, crashing into the turn four wall on his opening lap and will begin 25th.
Race Day and Broadcast Details for Milwaukee Mile Event
The 2025 IndyCar Milwaukee Mile race, the penultimate contest of the season, will take place on Sunday, August 24, starting at 2 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the event live on FOX, where intense battles are expected as drivers vie for crucial points heading into the final races.
Palou’s continued dominance in qualifying, particularly his commanding speed at the Milwaukee Mile, reinforces his status as a top contender in the series. With penalties impacting several front-runners’ starting positions, the race could unfold with unexpected challenges and strategic moves, adding to the competition’s urgency and excitement.
