Laguna Seca Results: P8 Palou, P10 Simpson, P17 Dixon

Championship Results: P1 Palou, P12 Dixon, P13 Simpson

MONTEREY, Calif. — Chip Ganassi Racing added another historic chapter to its legacy Sunday when it finished a record-breaking season with an 18th NTT INDYCAR Series championship as the year came to a close at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

The championship marked the latest milestone for an organization that has established itself as one of the most successful teams in motorsports. CGR’s record 18th INDYCAR championship was highlighted by Alex Palou’s fifth series title, which the driver of the No. 10 DHL Lightning Bolt Honda clinched one week ago.

Palou finished eighth in Sunday’s season finale, bringing his championship-winning season to a close alongside his CGR teammates. Kyffin Simpson finished 10th in the No. 8 Sunoco Honda, while Scott Dixon finished 17th in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda.

The No. 9 PNC Bank crew also closed the season on top, earning the Firestone Pit Stop Performance award as the fastest pit crew in pit lane during the 2026 season, their second consecutive victory in the competition.

Following the race, team owner Chip Ganassi celebrated with Palou and CGR partners with a champagne toast. Reflecting on Palou’s fifth INDYCAR championship, Ganassi offered a fitting tribute to the milestone.

“Like we say in Pittsburgh, this is one for the thumb,” Ganassi remarked.

For Palou, the championship was the culmination of another remarkable season with CGR and the result of a team effort that extended throughout the organization.

“Everybody behind me, everybody around me, man, this team has been incredible every single year, every single race,” Palou said. “I had a rocket ship but this team, all our partners, DHL, OpenAI, everybody who has been supporting this team. Honda giving us all the car we needed every single time we needed it. It’s just been a magical year. Time to celebrate with all these guys.”

Palou’s fifth championship further cemented his place among the series’ elite and added another title to the championship history of CGR. He sits alone in third in the INDYCAR standings with five titles, trailing only A.J. Foyt (seven championships) and Dixon (six).

The season finale was more challenging for Dixon, who finished 17th after the team elected to pursue an aggressive strategy.

“We definitely tried a strange kind of strategy and we really had to push hard and came up a little short,” Dixon said. “We definitely had good speed, just a tricky day.”

Despite the result, Dixon and the No. 9 team finished the season with the INDYCAR pit stop championship, providing another accomplishment for the CGR organization.

The weekend also carried particular significance for Dixon, who has spent the majority of his legendary career with Chip Ganassi Racing. As he reflected on the end of the season, Dixon acknowledged the emotions surrounding the occasion and the memories accumulated throughout his time with the organization.

“There were definitely many moments,” Dixon said. “I think the pre-race meeting, and then pre-race itself, you just see old snippets and different memories. Good riddance to this year, for sure. It was definitely a tough one. I’ll enjoy a few moments of downtime over the next few weeks.”

Asked if he had come close to tears, Dixon replied, “Close a couple times, for sure. The pre-race, for sure, the driver meeting.”

Dixon also praised Ganassi for the way he has handled the emotional significance of Dixon’s decision to move on to another team in 2027 after 25 years with CGR.

“It’s more about the emotions and how Chip has dealt with it, I think has been amazing,” Dixon said.

Looking back on his long tenure with CGR, Dixon pointed to the countless wins, championships and memorable moments that have defined his career.

“I think you have a lots of big years, lots of wins, lots of those kind of situations,” Dixon said. “I will always remember Chip crowd surfing.”

Simpson capped his season with his third consecutive top-10 finish, bringing the No. 8 Sunoco Honda home in 10th. After pursuing an alternative strategy in an effort to challenge for the victory, Simpson said the result nevertheless provided a strong conclusion to his season.

“Solid last day of racing for the year,” Simpson said. “We did a good job. We tried something on strategy and it just didn’t really play out in our favor.”

With the season winding down, Simpson said he was determined to race aggressively for the win.

“Last race of the year, I wanted to go win it,” Simpson said. “From where we were I had to kind of make something happen, but at the end of the day, another top-10 and a solid weekend overall.”

Simpson also acknowledged the support of the so-called “Sunoco Army” throughout the weekend.

“It was great having the Sunoco Army here cheering me on and super happy to close the year off strong,” Simpson said.

The record 18th INDYCAR championship continues a championship legacy that has made Chip Ganassi Racing synonymous with success across North American motorsports. The organization’s latest title, combined with Palou’s fifth INDYCAR championship and the No. 9 crew’s pit stop championship, provides a fitting conclusion to another landmark season for CGR.

Championship Notes

• 18 — Record number of INDYCAR championships for Chip Ganassi Racing.

• 5 — Alex Palou’s INDYCAR championships.

• 1 — 2026 INDYCAR pit stop championship for the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda crew.