We have reached the end of our IndyCar Wrap-Up series, and for the fourth consecutive year, we are ending with Chip Ganassi Racing. Álex Palou made history and became only the second driver to win four consecutive IndyCar championships. With this title, Chip Ganassi Racing moved into the all-time lead in championships. For all the history that was made, it was a sliding-door season for the team, as much change is awaiting this group for 2027.
Álex Palou
What else must be said? It was not the same level of domination we saw in 2025, and Palou did not win the Indianapolis 500, but he was firmly in control of the championship almost from the drop of the green flag. Palou did have bad races. He had some unlucky breaks, but his form was too strong for those to be any cause for concern.
What objectively was his best race?
Palou led in IndyCar victories for another season as Palou won six times, and he became the third driver in IndyCar history to win at least six races in consecutive seasons joining Mario Andretti and Sébastien Bourdais. Palou won at St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Long Beach, Detroit, Nashville and Portland.
What subjectively was his best race?
Barber was Palou's most dominant race, leading 79 of 90 laps and winning by over 13 seconds. For a moment, it looked like Palou was in danger of losing the lead through pit cycle to Christian Lundgaard, but Palou's team nailed the stop and he drove off into the sunset.
What objectively was his worst race?
Contact with Rinus VeeKay on a restart ended Palou's Phoenix race after 21 laps and he was classified in 24th position.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Washington, D.C. was a race where nothing went right for Palou and the #10 Ganassi team. Where do we begin? Palou started on pole position but lost the lead immediately when Kyle Kirkwood had the better start. Not the end of the world as Palou was still second.
Then Palou clipped Mick Schumacher's tire in the pit lane and it led to a penalty, knocking Palou down the order. On the next pit stop, the crew had an issue with the left front tire, costing Palou more time. He attempted to go off strategy to somehow get back to the front before clipping a barrier and damaging his left rear suspension. Repairs were made, but Palou was 20th.
Gateway should be mentioned because Palou lost a potentially victory when he ran out of fuel under caution entering his pit box. This issue cost him a lap, and took him out of the running for a stellar finish.
Alex Palou's 2026 Statistics
Championship Position: 1st (631 points)
Wins: 6
Podiums: 7
Top Fives: 12
Top Tens: 15
Laps Led: 673
Poles: 8
Fast Sixes: 11
Fast Twelves: 13
Average Start: 3.611
Average Finish: 6.555
Wins: 6
Podiums: 7
Top Fives: 12
Top Tens: 15
Laps Led: 673
Poles: 8
Fast Sixes: 11
Fast Twelves: 13
Average Start: 3.611
Average Finish: 6.555
Scott Dixon
We are accustomed to Dixon making history, and each season he seems to do something new or something few had accomplished before. This was not a special season for Dixon in a good way. He looked good to start, but he was not quite the top runner we are familiar with seeing. Dixon never got to the level we expected. He had his worst season in over 20 years. The winning streak ended. This ended up being Dixon's final season at Ganassi
What objectively was his best race?
Dixon had one top five finish the entire season. It was third at Long Beach.
What subjectively was his best race?
It is really Long Beach and that was his only respectable race all season. Dixon spent the entire race in the top five and leaped into a podium position through the final round of pit stops.
What objectively was his worst race?
A hybrid issue took Dixon out at Detroit and he was classified in 24th after he was potentially going to finish in the top five.
What subjectively was his worst race?
It is every race from the Indianapolis 500 onward. Dixon wasn't good this year, and it was something we were not accustomed to seeing. He struggled for speed. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong. Considering how he was running, the unfortunate breaks didn't cost him much. If all the races went without blemish, Dixon may have another two or three top ten finishes, and that is it. It likely would not have got him a position better in the championship, nor would it have gotten him a victory.
If we must pick out one race, Nashville did not look good. Dixon started fifth, but was shuffled backward quickly. Then he hit Alexander Rossi on the back straightway and it led to a penalty. What was hopefully going to be a positive day and possibly a victory was 18th, seven laps down in the final results.
Scott Dixon's 2026 Statistics
Championship Position: 12th (331 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 6
Laps Led: 79
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 1
Fast Twelves: 6
Average Start: 11.667
Average Finish: 13.333
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 6
Laps Led: 79
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 1
Fast Twelves: 6
Average Start: 11.667
Average Finish: 13.333
Kyffin Simpson
The forgotten Ganassi driver, Simpson was hoping to build on a 2025 season where he had more impressive results than anyone expected. It wasn't a case Simpson was a factor everywhere, but on certain weekends he stood above most. That was the case in 2025, and it remained the case in 2026. There were still races where he did as well as you expected, but there were others where he was competitive.
What objectively was his best race?
Simpson picked up two top five finishes this season. The first was his best result of the season. He was fourth at Road America. Simpson did benefit when Christian Rasmussen broke down and brought out a caution, elevating Simpson up the running order after starting 19th.
What subjectively was his best race?
A four-stop strategy allowed Simpson to finish fifth in Washington, D.C. The cautions fell in Simpson's favor that put him on the same cycle as the leaders, and he was able to turn a 23rd starting position into a top five result.
What objectively was his worst race?
Did you know Simpson was running at the finish of every race this season? A mechanical issue cost him at Gateway, but he was able to see the checkered flag, though in 21st.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Hitting a tire in pit lane at Arlington led to a penalty, and the best he could do was 20th. Simpson also had a nondescript weekend in Milwaukee, competing in two races, being mentioned zero times and having finishes of 16th and 19th.
Kyffin Simpson's 2026 Statistics
Championship Position: 13th (327 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 4
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 1
Fast Twelves: 4
Average Start: 15
Average Finish: 12.944
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 4
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 1
Fast Twelves: 4
Average Start: 15
Average Finish: 12.944
An Early Look Ahead
We are about to enter a new chapter in Chip Ganassi Racing history not because Scott Dixon is leaving but because of everyone behind the scenes.
Performance director Chris Simmons and race engineer Ross Bunnell are both leaving the team to join Arrow McLaren. Palou's engineer Julien Robertson is reportedly considering retirement. Chip Ganassi Racing has not become the most successful team in IndyCar history on its drivers alone. The minds on the timing stand and at the shop are immeasurable to this team's success. Three of them could be gone in one offseason.
It isn't going to sink Ganassi, but it could be a greater challenge to find speed. Palou could be facing a learning curve. Christian Lundgaard is entirely new to this team and he might not be stepping into as sure of a situation as he first thought he was getting. Simpson could become the red-headed stepchild.
Conventional wisdom would tell us Ganassi will be ok. Bunnell was loaned out to Meyer Shank Racing for the previous two seasons anyway. It is really two people that are changing, two important people, but it is not a complete upheaval within the shop. Mike Hull is still in charge, there are plenty of great minds ready to step up and the team likely has succession plans in mind, but we cannot be surprised if Ganassi isn't as sharp as we are accustomed to seeing in recent years.
It could still be a successful year, but it just might not be a year where the team wins seven or eight races, pulls out a few races through pit cycles and leapfrogging the leader and there could be days where the team is struggling for speed and none of the three cars can find it. Dare I say it might not even be a championship season in 2027 for this group?
Things will be fine. Palou is going to win a handful of races, and he is still the championship favorite. I don't think it is a guarantee he will repeat what we have seen over the last two years. This could be the opening the rest of the grid was hoping for.
Timing could not have been less ideal for Lundgaard, joining this team as it is about to face its biggest shakeup possibly ever in team history. It should be an opportunity for him to flourish and challenge Palou. Instead, there will be questions over the makeup of this team behind the scenes.
It does feel like Ganassi has the best 1-2 combination on the grid. Lundgaard is stepping up a level and if he reading from the same hymn sheet as Palou, Lundgaard should make up some ground. It doesn't mean Lundgaard will surpass Palou. Though he ended 2026 with a good Milwaukee weekend, everyone suspects Lundgaard still has improvements to make on ovals. It should bring Lundgaard closer to Palou and maybe it tips a victory or two into the Dane's favor.
Next year will be different. Ever since June and the announcement Dixon was leaving, we have all been trying to process what that will look like and adjusting to the idea of Dixon racing elsewhere. It has been a quarter-century since Ganassi didn't have Dixon in its lineup. Ganassi still has an ace though. This isn't a team transitioning without a leader. Palou has been #1 for the last three seasons, lawsuit and all.
Ganassi has its drivers for the present and future. This change could not have come at a better time. We will fine out if the team is setup to weather whatever changes come next, and they are coming.
