Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou clinched the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Drivers’ Championship with a fourth-place finish today at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Palou became the 10th Honda-powered driver to win an Indy car title, and the championship was the 18th for Honda since it entered North American open-wheel racing in 1994.
Needing only an 11th-place or better result to secure the title, Palou kept his nose clean on the unforgiving downtown streets that make up the temporary Long Beach street circuit, but continued to run in the lead pack through most of the 85-lap contest to give team owner Chip Ganassi his 14th Indy car title.
Honda also powered today’s race winner, as Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta led 43 of the 85-laps to notch his third victory of 2021, and the first at his ‘home’ Long Beach circuit.
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Honda Race Results
1st Colton Herta
Andretti Autosport Honda
3rd Scott Dixon
Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
4th Alex Palou
Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
6th Alexander Rossi
Andretti Autosport Honda
7th Jack Harvey
Meyer Shank Racing Honda
9th Takuma Sato
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
12th Ed Jones
Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan Honda
14th James Hinchcliffe
Andretti Autosport Honda
16th Graham Rahal
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
17th Jimmie Johnson-R
Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
20th Helio Castroneves
Meyer Shank Racing Honda
22nd Oliver Askew
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
23rd Ryan Hunter-Reay
Andretti Autosport Honda
24th Romain Grosjean-R
Dale Coyne Racing with RWR Honda
28th Marcus Ericsson
Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
R – Rookie
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Manufacturers’ Championship
- Honda
1,401 points [Honda’s 10 title, 4th consecutive] - Chevrolet
1,238
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Drivers’ Championship Standings
- Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
549 points [3 wins] - Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
511 [2 wins] - Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren SP
487 [2 wins] - Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
481 [1 win]
Colton Herta (Andretti Autosport Honda) Race winner, his third win of 2021 and sixth career Indy car victory: “It feels amazing [to win the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach]. We brought a great car here, and [this race] has been on the ‘bucket list’ for so long for me, I’m at a loss for words. It took a lot of work [to get from 14th to Victory Circle] and it’s such a big race for Honda and Acura, so happy to have a win here for them, too. What a way to cap off the year!”
Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES CHAMPION; his first Indy car championship and the 18th for a Honda-powered driver. Palou’s title comes 25 years after Jimmy Vasser won Honda’s first Indy car drivers’ title – also with a fourth-place finish, at Laguna Seca in 1996: “Oh my gosh man, what a race today, and what a year. This team is amazing. I don’t know what else to say. I’m super proud to be part of Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, and all our partners. Yeah, I’m super happy. I can’t thank enough everyone who made this possible, [team owner] Chip Ganassi especially. This is one dream for me completed. Now let’s get another one!”
