Politics · State & local government · published 2026-08-22 · via Fox News

Palou secures pole position for D.C. IndyCar race, eyes fifth title

Alex Palou claimed pole position for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., where he could clinch his fifth IndyCar championship. He needs to leave the race with a 163-point lead in the standings. Several drivers hit the wall during qualifying, including Alexander Rossi who crashed out.

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The seven-turn street circuit around the National Mall proved treacherous during qualifying, with Marcus Ericsson, Rinus VeeKay, and Will Power all making contact with the walls. Alexander Rossi's session ended early after a crash, despite looking solid throughout practice. A red flag from Kyffin Simpson also wiped out a promising lap from Scott Dixon.

Palou's pole-winning lap of 56.899 seconds edged Kyle Kirkwood by four-tenths of a second. Kirkwood, who topped both earlier qualifying groups, had a moment in Turn 1 during his Fast 6 run but recovered. The race spans

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