Indianapolis 500 winner Alex Palou: I’d ‘absolutely’ race NASCAR road course

Last Updated: May 28, 2025By

Alex Palou is a man possessed at the moment. After already winning four of the first five races on the 2025 INDYCAR schedule, Palou won the famed Indianapolis 500 last Sunday.

Now, outside of racing for the remainder of the INDYCAR schedule, will Palou dip his toes in other racing waters? He recently cast doubt on competing in Formula 1. But what about a NASCAR race?

“Absolutely,” Palou told host Kevin Harvick about whether he’d be interested in ever dabbling in a NASCAR road or street course on the latest edition of “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour.”

“I’d be down for that. It’s a very different car. It’s a very different kind of racing. I know I would get smashed by all of you guys on ovals, but I would love to give it a try at a road or a street course.”

There are five remaining road/street courses on the 2025 NASCAR schedule: Viva Mexico 250 (June 15), Chicago Street Course (July 6), Toyota/Save Mart 350 (July 13), Go Bowling at The Glen (Aug. 10) and Bank of America ROVAL 400 (Oct. 5)

On the F1 front, Palou was previously part of the sport when he signed with McLaren’s Testing of Previous Cars program in 2022, but he never competed in a race.

Since winning the Indianapolis 500, Palou has been making the rounds, which began with him appearing at the Indiana Pacers‘ Game 3 Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the New York Knicks. Then, he went to New York City to celebrate his 500 victory, and threw out the first pitch at the New York Mets‘ Tuesday night game against the Chicago White Sox.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 27: 2025 Indianapolis 500 winner Alex Palou poses for a photograph with Tyrone Taylor #15 of the New York Mets after throwing the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Mets and the Chicago White Sox at Citi Field on May 27, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

As for how the race played out, Palou, who started in sixth place, took the lead from Marcus Ericsson with 14 laps to go, and led the rest of the way. It was the first Indianapolis 500 win of Palou’s career.

Palou will shoot to make it six wins in seven tries this season on Sunday in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

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