Alex Palou lucks out to win IndyCar Iowa Race 2 as Josef Newgarden has double dose of bad luck

Alex Palou won Race 2 at Iowa Speedway as he earned his redemption at the track after last year's runner-up finish. The Spaniard had luck on his side on Sunday as he conceded the lead to Josef Newgarden twice in the race, but timely cautions helped him gain an edge over his rivals.

The reigning champion again showcased that he's the one to beat in the premier open-wheel racing series in the United States. After no oval race wins before the start of the 2025 campaign, he first claimed the victory at the Indy 500 and has now clinched his first short-oval race win at the Iowa Speedway.

Palou started the year with a victory around the streets of St. Petersburg and set a precedent on the following race weekends to come. Though his streak saw an abrupt break after being hit with the Indy 500 curse, he returned to winning ways at the Road America Grand Prix, and he has now claimed his seventh win of the season at the Race 2 at Iowa Speedway.

Reflecting on emerging victorious in seven of the dozen races held so far, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver said:

"Speechless, honestly, speechless. It's been an unbelievable day, unbelievable weekend, but more than anything, an incredible year for us. I cannot really believe it honestly and winning here is super special... Super happy getting another win; seven wins in one year, it's insane."

On the other hand, Palou's race win helped Honda reclaim its top spot in the IndyCar field, as 11 of the 12 races have been won by the Japanese engine in the 2025 campaign.

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Alex Palou opens up on the pre-race discussion regarding his strategy for the race at Iowa Speedway

Alex Palou after winning the NTT INDYCAR Series Race 2 at Iowa Speedway - Source: Getty

Alex Palou benefited from two caution periods during the 275-lap race. It helped him retake the lead of the race, while Josef Newgarden was caught out by the unfortunate caution periods due to Andretti cars suffering issues with their front-right regions.

The 28-year-old's decision to stay out longer than his rivals and wait for cautions worked a treat for him, a decision which he had discussed with the No. 10 crew and his race engineers before the race. Talking about how his crew trusts him and the relationship he has with them, the Spaniard said:

"I mean they gave me a crazy number, I was like either we need to give up our starting position or we need to go fast and try and do another stop. So, it ended up working very good for us."

Alex Palou's victory at the Iowa Speedway leaves him three race wins away from the all-time race win record set by A.J. Foyt in 1964 of recording 10 victories in a single year.