Alex Palou secured his 12th podium finish in the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES by finishing second at the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250. Palou led most of the race, dominating 199 of the 250 laps before a late-race rain forced a crucial tire strategy change.
The sudden rain about 37 laps from the end led several drivers to pit for fresh tires, which allowed Palou’s closest competitors to close the gap. Despite this challenge, Palou managed to hold off many of his rivals and ultimately finished just under two seconds behind Christian Rasmussen, who claimed his first career victory.
The Impact of Late-Race Weather and Championship Standings
Palou’s performance came after Honda and he had already secured the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships before the Milwaukee event. However, the Rookie of the Year title battle remains unsettled. Louis Foster from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing extended his lead in the rookie standings by finishing 17th, one position ahead of Robert Shwartzman, with only one race remaining in the season.
Foster now holds an eight-point edge, marking a tight race in the final stages of the 2025 season.
Other Honda Drivers’ Performances in Milwaukee
Several other Honda drivers delivered solid finishes in Milwaukee. Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon advanced from 14th to ninth place. Meanwhile, Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing made a notable climb from 16th to finish 10th.
Additional top Honda results included Colton Herta in 11th, Kyle Kirkwood in 12th, and Rinus VeeKay securing 15th place. Other competitors such as Devlin DeFrancesco, Louis Foster, Marcus Ericsson, Kyffin Simpson, Jacob Abel, Felix Rosenqvist, and Graham Rahal completed the field among Honda-powered cars, contributing to Honda’s strong showing in the event.
Reflections from the Drivers and Team Leadership
Alex Palou expressed his enthusiasm about the race, saying,
This was the most fun I’ve had on an oval—outside of the 500. I think this was my best-ever race on an oval and I’m super happy. Obviously, it would have been a bit nicer if we could have gotten the win, but I think we had all the power today from Honda, we had everything we needed, we just weren’t as lucky as maybe some of the other races where we’ve used this strategy.
—Alex Palou, Driver
Kelvin Fu, Vice President of Honda Racing Corporation USA, also praised the team’s effort:
Congrats to Alex and the Chip Ganassi Racing #10 team for the pole and podium at Milwaukee. Of course, we always want to walk away with a win, but it was great seeing him lead so many laps and fighting at the end. This is all thanks to the hard work of the people at HRC and Honda and our teams.
—Kelvin Fu, Vice President, Honda Racing Corporation USA
The Road Ahead: Final Race of the 2025 Season
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will return to action for the last race of the 2025 season at the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix on August 31. With several championships already locked in, the focus will shift to the Rookie of the Year championship battle and final positions in the standings. Palou’s strong form and Honda’s overall competitive presence hint at an exciting conclusion to the season.
