Alex Palou’s 100th IndyCar start ends early after contact with Rinus VeeKay at Phoenix

Early incident ends championship leader’s race at Phoenix Raceway

Alex Palou’s bid to extend his early-season momentum ended abruptly on Saturday, March 7, when contact with Rinus VeeKay sent Palou’s No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda into the wall during the Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway.

The incident occurred shortly after a restart in the opening segment of the 250-mile race on the 1-mile oval, with Palou’s car sustaining heavy damage that forced his retirement. Palou was evaluated by medical staff and released.

What happened on the restart

Race accounts show Palou was drifting toward the outside lane as the field accelerated on a restart when VeeKay’s No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet was alongside on the outside. The left-front of VeeKay’s car made contact with Palou’s right-rear, rotating Palou into the wall. VeeKay continued after repairs, losing time in the process.

The collision ended Palou’s afternoon within the opening dozen laps, turning a milestone start into a points setback.

Context: milestone start, strong form, and Phoenix’s return

The race marked Palou’s 100th career start in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. He arrived in Arizona as the reigning champion and the season points leader after winning the 2026 opener in St. Petersburg one week earlier. Phoenix Raceway also represented a return to the calendar: the series had not held a points race at the venue since 2018, leaving many drivers—including Palou—without prior race-start experience there in IndyCar machinery.

In qualifying on Friday, Palou secured 10th on the grid. David Malukas earned the first pole position of his IndyCar career, ahead of Josef Newgarden, as teams adapted to the track’s demands and the weekend’s dedicated sessions to explore higher-lane running.

Immediate implications for the championship

Palou’s early exit guaranteed a significant interruption to his points accumulation at the second round of the 17-race season. With the leader sidelined, the result increased the likelihood of a shift at the top of the standings as other contenders capitalized on full race distance at a venue where track position and restart execution can sharply influence outcomes.

• Palou entered Phoenix leading the championship after a season-opening victory.
• He started 10th and was collected in an early restart incident.
• VeeKay sustained damage but returned after pit repairs.

INDYCAR’s schedule moves on from Phoenix with the competitive picture reset earlier than expected, after the series’ most consistent recent title contender recorded a rare early-race retirement.