For the 2nd time in just 4 years in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Alex Palou is the champion. In fact, he’s been with Chip Ganassi Racing for 3 years and he’s won titles in 2 of them. With how dominant that he was this past season, how far can he truly go?

I don’t think it’s much of a secret now that Palou’s career may now be emboldened as an NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver. That’s great news for us. While I know he had F1 dreams and aspirations, at 26 years of age and the way that the last two years contractually have been handled, I just don’t envision a path overseas anymore.

The McLaren door is shut. Mercedes has deals done through the next two seasons. Red Bull has a pipeline and Ferrari is Ferrari. I guess maybe Aston Martin’s journey to Honda in a few seasons could be a pathway, but even so, he’ll be pushing 30 by that point. Is that too late?

“I said it many times that it was not my fully focus,” Palou admitted on Sunday after scoring his 2nd championship in 3 years. “Then when an opportunity came, I had to go for it, I felt.

“At the same time I know I’m not 21 or 19. I’m already 26, which is good. I’m not saying I’m old, but I mean, it’s not that I’m super young.

“So next year I’ll be 27. If an opportunity comes in the future, which is like really, really small chances, I’ll think about it for sure, 100%.

“I’m happy honestly. As long as I keep on winning championships and races or battling for championships I think I’ll have a great career.”

Which is why I think Palou’s headed towards stardom here. He may very well be Ganassi’s next Scott Dixon and that’s more than okay to be known as that title instead. As INDYCAR’s growth not only here domestically has grown, but worldwide as well, he likely could be a household name very soon anyways.

I mean just look at what he’s done in 3 years with Ganassi.

Since Palou has been in that 10 car, his ride has outperformed Dixon. In 49 starts in this span, Palou has 9 wins and 23 podiums. Dixon has 5 wins and 14 podiums.

Palou’s average finish with Ganassi is 6.52.

Dixon’s average finish in this same span is 6.72.

“Unfortunately for one reason or another, we haven’t found that right combination for a few years,” Ganassi said of the 10 car in 2021. “You have to work just as hard. Sometimes you’re probably working harder than the guys on the 10 car and the 8 and the 48. They have to work harder sometimes than the champion.

“It’s as big as it gets. Just to see this young man come along, it’s been a few dry years in the 10 car. I go back to think of Dario and Dan Wheldon in the 10, all the successes they had.”

That’s why Ganassi valued Palou as much as he does and why he didn’t waver on wanting to keep him around. As a result, I think now that they’ll stay together for more years to come.

With him being this good, why would he magically lose pace?

Since Monterey last year, Palou has finished in the top 8 in literally every single race (17 races). His average finish is an astounding 3.58.

6 wins, one runner-up finish, three 3rd place runs gives him 10 podiums (58.8%). He’s had 13 top five finishes (76.4%). He’s untouchable.

Only 15 times now has someone won the title under the age of 27 years old. Palou has done it twice (24 years, 5 months, 25 days in 2021).

How far he can he go?

It’s hard to compare eras and what AJ Foyt or Mario Andretti did in their early years in the sport, or even Josef Newgarden to Palou since Newgarden started off with a smaller team for several early seasons before he joined Team Penske, but if you do look at Newgarden once he got to Penske, he was 26, the same age Palou is now.

In 2 of his 1st 3 years at Penske, he also won titles. He was 5th between them. Palou was 5th last year.

Eerily similar stats.

Newgarden finished 2nd to Palou in 2021 and this year will likely have finished 3rd. This could be this era’s Andretti vs. Foyt.

Foyt had 7 championships (most), Andretti had 4 (3rd best). Foyt had 67 wins (most), Andretti with 52 (3rd). Andretti had 67 poles (2nd) Foyt had 53 (3rd). Andretti had 144 podiums (most), Foyt 119 (3rd). Andretti had 193 top five finishes (2nd best), Foyt 149 (3rd best).

Between 1960 and 1969, they had combined to win 8 titles in a 10 season span. Why can’t Palou and Newgarden do the same?

Newgarden with Penske and Palou with Ganassi. Combined, these two organizations have won each of the last 11 series championships. Newgarden and Palou have won 4 of the last 7 overall themselves.

Since 2021, Newgarden has 11 wins, 17 podiums, 24 top 5 finishes and 36 top 10 finishes in 49 starts.

In that same span, Palou has amassed 9 wins, 23 podiums, 28 top five finishes and 41 top 10 finishes.

That’s 20 of 49 wins (40.8%) between these two drivers the last three years.

Newgarden, 32, isn’t going to leave Penske anytime soon. He’s already tied for 13th on the all-time wins list.

He’s two wins shy of tying Dario Franchitti, Paul Tracy and Helio Castroneves for 10th ever. He’s five wins behind Al Unser Jr. for ninth. He’s six wins back from Bobby Unser in 8th and 8 wins behind Sebastien Bourdais in 7th.

How far can he take this?

Newgarden has won 4 or more times in 5 of his 7 seasons with Team Penske. If he gets 4 wins in each of his next two seasons, he’d be tied with Bourdais in 2025. Another 4 wins gets him to Will Power’s current mark at 41.

See, time is in Newgarden’s favor. He’s only 32-years-old. He’s only 13 wins shy of Michael Andretti, 23 shy of Mario and 24 of Scott Dixon. If he averages 4 wins for each season for a decade that’s 40 more wins which could take him clear of AJ Foyt’s 67 mark.

Which is why we’re witnessing a generational driver.

He won Long Beach. He won the Indy 500. He’s won two championships. He’s finished 2nd in each of the last 3 years for the title.

He just passed Al Unser Jr. for 12th on the all-time lap leaders chart at 3,885.

He’s nearing the all-time Penske wins leader mark already. Will Power has 38, Helio Castroneves has 30. Rick Mears has 29. Newgarden has 26.

His 14 oval wins rank him third behind Mears (22) and Castroneves (17).

Then you have Palou quickly climbing up the record books too and can equal what Newgarden is also doing in the same years too.

Newgarden is an oval king (4 wins in 5 races this season). Palou is a natural road course guru (9 wins since 2020, next best is 3).

These two could have a fun rivalry for the next decade to come.