Palou cruises to his 8th win of the year at the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey.

There were 26 IndyCar drivers competing on Sunday. And then there was Alex Palou, in a class by himself.

The driver of the no. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda led all but 11 laps of the 95-lap Java House Grand Prix of Monterey–and those came during pit stops. Otherwise, Palou dominated, at times pulling out to leads of more than 30 seconds.

“I was super comfortable with the car,” Palou says. “And we were fast on both soft or hard tires. It was one of those days where it felt like we had a big pace advantage.”

After two late cautions tightened the field, Palou crossed the finish line just under 4 seconds ahead of Christian Lundgaard in the no. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, who outlasted Colton Herta, driver of the no. 26 Gainbridge Andretti Honda in a private battle for second.

Pato O’Ward managed to stay in contention–barely–for the series championship, taking the checkered flag in fourth. Palou leaves WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with a 121-point advantage over his no. 5 Arrow McLaren rival. If he finishes the Portland round 108 points ahead, Palou will clinch the title with two races remaining.

“I think what’s very interesting with the 10 car is, even though they’re having bad weekends, they still come out ahead,” Lundgaard says. “That’s what’s super frustrating for all of us.”

The win marked Palou’s 8th of the season in 14 races. The IndyCar record in one season is 10, set by the legendary A.J. Foyt in 1964.

Palou’s Chip Ganassi teammate, Scott Dixon–himself a six-time champion, and Kyle Kirkwood entered the day with a slim mathematical chance for the title. But Dixon’s no. 9 PNC Bank machine crossed the line in the wake of O’Ward. And Kirkwood finished a distant 15th in the no. 27 JM Bullion Andretti Honda.

Both were eliminated from championship contention.

There was a lot of action behind Palou. Kyffin Simpson and Felix Rosenqvist made contact in the first lap. Simpson’s no. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda made heavy contact with the barrier and could not continue. Rosenqvist limped his no. 60 SiriusXM Meyer Shank Honda to the finish.

Marcus Ericsson looped his no. 28 Delaware Life Andretti Honda with 17 laps remaining, bringing out a caution. But Palou was unfazed and reasserted his lead. In the waning laps, Santino Ferrucci skidded off the track, beaching his no. 14 Sexton A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet at the top of the Corkscrew.

Lundgaard’s team employed pit strategy to jump in front of Herta. But even Palou had to strain himself. 

Following an early pit stop, Palou found himself lodged behind Nolan Siegel, O’Ward’s teammate in the no. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. On lap 37, Palou held his car on the outside of Turn 3, a risky move that put him back in the lead.

“I knew that it was aggressive,” Palou says. “You don’t want to lose time behind cars that you think are slower than you. Ultimately he pitted that lap, and I was like ‘Really? I took that much risk?’”

In the aftermath of the victory, veteran Chip Ganassi Racing manager Barry Wanser revealed the secret behind the team’s success this year: Bacon.

“Whatever they do for breakfast, as long as they have bacon available, then it’s going to be a good day for the 10 car,” he says, referring to Honda hospitality.

“Toronto they did not have…” Palou questioned. He finished outside the top 10 for one of the few times all year on the streets of Toronto, a week before Laguna Seca. There had been no bacon for breakfast.

“It all makes sense now,” Palou says with a laugh.