Alex Palou’s IndyCar boss Chip Ganassi has not ruled out a possible NASCAR return - “Never say never”

Chip Ganassi recently commented on a potential return to NASCAR. The 67-year-old previously spent two decades as a NASCAR team owner before selling his team to Trackhouse Racing in 2021. He is still one of the most successful and influential figures in Motorsports, leading Chip Ganassi Racing to championships and wins across multiple series.

Ganassi fielded a question during a press conference about NASCAR and Honda’s possible involvement in the Cup Series. He explained that he has not had conversations with Honda or NASCAR regarding re-entry. But when asked directly about the chance of returning, he admitted that while he could not say yes, he could also not rule it out.

"Am I open to it, I wouldn’t say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ but what I can tell you is that I haven’t had that conversation with Honda,” Ganassi told Motorsport.com. “I have never had that conversation with NASCAR but I am also smart enough to never say never.”

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Ganassi: 'Never say never' to NASCAR return but... via @motorsport

The subject arose because Honda, which currently supplies engines to Chip Ganassi Racing in IndyCar, has been exploring the possibility of joining the NASCAR Cup Series. If Honda commits, NASCAR could release additional ownership charters, opening the door for former owners like Ganassi to return to stock car racing.

Ganassi has the background to do it. In his 20 years as a Cup Series owner, Chip Ganassi Racing won 20 Cup wins and 24 Xfinity Series races, including the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400. His teams delivered wins with drivers such as Sterling Marlin, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, and Kyle Larson.

Although Ganassi sold his NASCAR program to Trackhouse Racing after 2021, his success has only grown in IndyCar. With Alex Palou, CGR has collected four championships in five years, including 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025. That raised the question of whether Ganassi could see Palou racing in NASCAR, especially since the current Cup car shares similarities with IndyCar machinery.

Ganassi acknowledged that he had considered it. He shared,

“You’re onto something there, so the answer is yes (I have considered how good Palou could be in NASCAR) because the formula has changed since I was there,”

He noted that the style of racing and engineering in today’s Cup Series aligns with what his IndyCar program excels at. However, he stressed that no discussions had taken place, nor had he given the idea much thought.

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Chip Ganassi calls Palou-to-Red Bull story “clickbait”

While speculation about NASCAR lingers, Chip Ganassi also had to address another major rumor. Reports surfaced linking Alex Palou, his four-time IndyCar champion, with a move to Red Bull Racing in Formula 1. The story suggested that Palou’s performance in IndyCar and Red Bull’s unsettled second seat could make him an option for the team.

Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda celebrates his championship with his crew during the NTT INDYCAR Series BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland at Portland International Raceway - Source: Getty

On Tuesday, August 26, Ganassi dismissed those claims in clear terms. Speaking to reporters (via Motorsport), he said,

“I read that myself, and there was nobody quoted in there. I talked to Palou, and Palou says he’s never talked to anybody about it. I talked to his management and they know nothing about it, and I know nothing about it. I think it’s a clickbait story and somebody needs to brush up on their investigative journalism.”

Red Bull, this season, has been looking for stability alongside Max Verstappen. Sergio Pérez has joined Cadillac’s Formula 1 program, while Yuki Tsunoda has not been fully convinced as a long-term solution. That uncertainty, combined with Palou’s recent championship run, has fueled the speculation.

Ganassi pushed back by pointing to Palou’s past decisions. He noted that Palou already showed loyalty to Chip Ganassi Racing when he turned down an opportunity to leave for McLaren in 2022.

“Everybody wants a driver that everybody else wants to have. That means you have something that’s really valuable,” Ganassi said. “Alex had the opportunity to leave (McLaren deal) and he didn’t.”

Ganassi also questioned whether Formula 1 is as attractive as it once was, especially if it means a driver ends up as a second option. He said he would not want Palou to move just to be a No. 2 driver. For now, the focus remains on continuing Palou’s success in IndyCar, where he has become one of the most dominant drivers of his generation.