Despite carnage at the start and a thrilling fuel-saving mission at the end, the Spaniard came out on top at Road America.

His teammate, Scott Dixon, led the lion’s share of the race but was among those forced to pit for fuel in the final few minutes of the race.

It was a bizarre conclusion to the contest that saw several cars pull up just after the chequered flag, having run out of fuel.

Palou wasn’t one of them, nailing the strategy and taking the #10 Chip Ganassi Racing car to victory lane.

“It was a crazy race,” said Palou, who notched up his sixth win of the season from nine races.

“It was a crazy race for us. For a moment, I thought we were losing a ton of positions. It was a tough race for everybody.

“Kudos to the team for the amazing strategy and Honda, HRC being able to give the fuel mileage we needed to make it.

“It was a fun race. I couldn’t be happier at the moment.”

Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin was an early contender but ultimately faded to 12th in the final stanza. His teammate Will Power was 14th.

ALEX PALOU WINS AT ROAD AMERICA! pic.twitter.com/6w3Jiv0FLI

— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) June 22, 2025

From pole position, Louis Foster got the holeshot into Turn 1 but was challenged almost immediately by Scott McLaughlin.

Behind them, AJ Foyt Racing driver David Malukas locked up and got into the back of McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard into Turn 3.

Malukas got onto the grass and lost control of the #4 and spun. Buried in the gravel trap, the caution flew. Some backmarkers elected to pit under yellow, including Dixon.

WE ARE GREEN FROM ROAD AMERICA ON FOX! pic.twitter.com/asc0xQnq9g

— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) June 22, 2025

On the Lap 4 restart, McLaughlin stole the lead from Foster into the first turn.

The green flag run was short-lived, however. Prema Racing’s Robert Shwartzman lost control of his car into Canada Corner and crashed into the tyre wall.

Under yellow, it was McLaughlin who led Foster, Lundgaard, Alex Palou, and Will Power.

The chaos continued on Lap 10 when the race resumed. This time, Juncos Hollinger Racing driver Sting Ray Robb got his braking wrong into Turn 4. The #77 swerved wildly before hitting the parallel wall and went into the run-off.

Sting Ray Robb into the wall and into the tires at Road America. pic.twitter.com/10YGDswHNb

— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) June 22, 2025

That prompted a flurry of pit stops, led by race leader McLaughlin. Lundgaard beat the Kiwi out of pit lane. Having pitted earlier, Dixon shot to the lead with Pato O’Ward second for McLaren and Ed Carpenter Racing’s Alexander Rossi third.

Lundgaard led the train of cars on the primary strategy in ninth ahead of McLaughlin in 10th.

McLaughlin tried to make headway on the Lap 14 restart, dipping his tyres into the grass as he tried to pass Rinus VeeKay. That ultimately cost him more time than he gained.

Behind him was Power, who tried to capitalise on the moment. Instead, he got shoved off by Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood at Canada Corner and dropped to 15th.

O’Ward pitted on Lap 21 and Dixon pitted on Lap 22. Kyffin Simpson cycled to the lead ahead of Palou when the yellow flew for Conor Daly, who locked up and buried his Juncos Hollinger Racing car in the gravel trap.

Palou pitted and came out ahead of surprise packet Graham Rahal, Power, and McLaughlin. That dropped Palou to 13th. Lundgaard, meanwhile, stayed out and took the lead.

On the Lap 25 restart, Kirkwood tried to usurp Lundgaard but got wide out of Turn 1 and conceded the position.

After a brief green flag run, Lundgaard pitted on Lap 27 and was followed in by Kirkwood on Lap 28.

Big damage for Josef Newgarden at Road America. pic.twitter.com/S520ZzoUe0

— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) June 22, 2025

The caution came out again when Josef Newgarden, who was running inside the top 10, spun out of the final corner on Lap 30 and hit the tyre wall. That brought out another caution and neutralised the race.

Some elected to pit under the yellow, and Dixon rose to the lead of the race ahead of Rossi, Palou, McLaughlin, and Simpson.

Any hopes Lundgaard had of winning were dashed on Lap 35 when Andretti Global’s Colton Herta tried to pass into Canada Corner and forced the Danish driver out wide. He lost control of the #7 and spun. He finished 24th.

Christian Lundgaard gets wide and goes around. pic.twitter.com/sp4PhhCWGE

— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) June 22, 2025

The decisive moment of the race came on Lap 38 when Dixon pitted from the lead. McLaughlin followed suit a lap later.

Palou was able to run the longest of all, pitting on Lap 40. Once the pit stops shook out, Dixon led Palou and Rossi.

What followed was an epic fuel-saving mission. Ultimately, with three laps to go, Dixon pitted from the lead, handing Palou first place.

Rosenqvist was gifted second while Santino Ferrucci came home third. Kirkwood was fourth while Marcus Armstrong was the quiet achiever in fifth for Meyer Shank Racing.

McLaughlin wound up 12th while Power was 14th.

So tight on fuel were some drivers that they pulled over immediately after the chequered flag at pit exit.

Results: Xpel Grand Prix at Road America