{"id":276325,"date":"2026-04-20T03:33:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T03:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/276325\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T03:33:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T03:33:15","slug":"alex-palou-earns-elusive-1st-win-press-telegram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/276325\/","title":{"rendered":"Alex Palou earns elusive 1st win \u2013 Press Telegram"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Winning<\/p>\n

Winning Indycar driver Alex Palou, celebrates with second place finisher Felix Rosenqvist, center, and third place finisher Scott Dixon during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Winning<\/p>\n

Winning Indycar driver Alex Plaou, center, celebrates alongside second place finisher, Felix Rosenqvist, left and third place finisher Scott Dixon during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou celebrates after winning the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cofounder<\/p>\n

Cofounder of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, Chris Pook talks about his friend and founding staff member Jim Michaelian, who passed on March 21, 2026, speaks to race fans prior to the INDYCAR race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Behind him on the left are staff members of the Long Beach Grand Prix Association and on the right, are Michaelian\u2019s wife and two sons. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Long<\/p>\n

Long Beach Grand Prix President and CEO, Jim Laiw speaks to race fans prior to the INDYCAR race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026 (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Long<\/p>\n

Long Beach Grand Prix President and CEO, Jim Laiw speaks to race fans prior to the INDYCAR race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026 (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cofounder<\/p>\n

Cofounder of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, Chris Pook talks about his friend and founding staff member Jim Michaelian, who passed on March 21, 2026, speaks to race fans prior to the INDYCAR race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026 (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Pit<\/p>\n

Pit lane is filled with race fans prior to the IndyCar race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cofounder<\/p>\n

Cofounder of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, Chris Pook talks about his friend and founding staff member Jim Michaelian, who passed on March 21, 2026, speaks to race fans prior to the INDYCAR race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026 (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cofounder<\/p>\n

Cofounder of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, Chris Pook talks about his friend and founding staff member Jim Michaelian, who passed on March 21, 2026, speaks to race fans prior to the INDYCAR race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Behind him on the left are staff members of the Long Beach Grand Prix Association and on the right, are Michaelian\u2019s wife and two sons. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou celebrates after winning the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou celebrates after winning the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou celebrates after winning the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou takes the checkered flag to win the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou takes the checkered flag to win the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou sprays champagne after winning the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou, right, waves behind Scott Dixon after winning the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Winning<\/p>\n

Winning Indycar driver Alex Plaou, center, celebrates alongside second place finisher, Felix Rosenqvist, left and third place finisher Scott Dixon during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Felix Rosenqvist celebrates after finishing second in the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou celebrates after winning the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Third<\/p>\n

Third place Indycar driver, Scott Dixon, left, celebrates alongside Paralympic snowboarder Brenna Huckaby during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Winning<\/p>\n

Winning Indycar driver, Alex Palou, center left, poses for a photo with Olympic speed skater Jordan Stolz, center, right, alongside second place finisher Felix Rosenqvist, left, and third place finisher Scott Dixon, right during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Will Power walks through a gauntlet of fans, photographers and others during prerace ceremonies prior to the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

An Indycar driver races down Shoreline Drive during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Christian Rasmussen races toward turn 10 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Christian Lundgaard races into turn 10 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou races towards the hairpin during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Felix Rosenqvist leads the field down Shoreline Drive after taking the green flag to start the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou races down Shoreline Drive during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Scott Dixon races towards the hairpin during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycars<\/p>\n

Indycars race through the hairpin onto Shoreline Drive during the middle laps of the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Scott Dixon races towards the hairpin during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou leads Felix Rosenqvisst out of the hairpin during the late laps of the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Race<\/p>\n

Race fans pack the turn grandstand as Indycar driver Christian Rasmussen races through turn 10 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Christian Rasmussen races down Shoreline Drive during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou drives through the hairpin onto Shoreline Drive during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Santino Ferrucci exits the hairpin onto Shoreline Driver during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Fans<\/p>\n

Fans watch as Indycar driver Christian Rasmussen races around turn 10 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Alex Palou heads towards turn 11 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Palou went on to win the race. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Josef Newgarden races around turn 10 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Scott McLaughlin heads towards turn 11 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Felix Rosenqvist speeds out of turn 11 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Scott Dixon hustles out of turn 11 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Dixon went on to finish third in the race. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Pato O\u2019Ward races, left, races out of turn 11 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Santino Ferrucci races around turn 10 during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Felix Rosenqvist (60) leads the field on the formation lap before the start of the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Felix Rosenqvist leads the field at the end of lap one during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar driver Pato O\u2019Ward during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"IndyCars<\/p>\n

IndyCars approach the first turn off Shoreline Drive at the start of the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"IndyCars<\/p>\n

IndyCars make the first turn off Shoreline Drive during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A cutout board of Indycar driver Pato O\u2019Ward rests against a fence as a race car speeds past during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Indycar<\/p>\n

Indycar drivers take to the track for a warm up before the main race during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 52<\/p>\n

Winning Indycar driver Alex Palou, celebrates with second place finisher Felix Rosenqvist, center, and third place finisher Scott Dixon during the 51st Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

LONG BEACH \u2014 Alex Palou had a nearly perfect pit stop.<\/p>\n

The four-time reigning IndyCar NTT Series champion got his nose out in front following a pit stop and was first to the finish line on Sunday to win the 51st annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was that pit stop,\u201d Palou said. \u201cWith all the pressure, these boys in the pit crew were able to do it and execute it perfectly.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the first victory for Palou in six career starts in Long Beach and the 22nd of his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s huge (and) incredible to finally win here in Long Beach,\u201d said Palou, who previously won at St. Petersburg and Alabama this season. He retakes the IndyCar NTT Series points lead from Kyle Kirkwood.<\/p>\n

The 29-year-old Spaniard has now won 11 of his last 22 IndyCar series races and has reached the podium in more than 50 percent of his starts since 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s incredible. I don\u2019t know what to say,\u201d said Palou, driver of the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. \u201cThis team is incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Palou beat Fast Six pole winner Felix Rosenqvist to the checkered flag by 3.9663 seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Felix was doing a hell of a job out front,\u201d Palou said. \u201cHe was going really fast and it was going to be tough to beat him but we did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosenqvist could not maintain his hold on the lead, with a pit stop on Lap 60 proving critical as Palou exited first and maintained his lead for the final 30 laps.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat last pit was kind of the defining moment,\u201d Rosenqvist said. \u201cI don\u2019t think we had that bad of a stop. It\u2019s frustrating, but at the end of the day, Alex and his crew did a better job of that moment of pressure there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosenqvist, driver of the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda, led the first two-thirds of the race and was oozing confidence until a caution for debris led everyone to pit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just happy I didn\u2019t screw it up,\u201d he said. \u201cThings like (the caution) can happen, and they can end up ruining your whole day.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the first caution at Long Beach since 2024, setting a new race record with more than 200 total laps completed under a green flag.<\/p>\n

Former two-time winner Scott Dixon finished third to complete the Honda sweep of the podium.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuge weekend for Chip Ganassi cars,\u201d said Dixon, driver of the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. \u201cHopefully, it\u2019s something we can build on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kirkwood was fourth for his fifth consecutive Top-5 finish of the season. Pato O\u2019Ward took fifth.<\/p>\n

Will Power, running sixth at the time of the caution, was assessed a 15-second penalty after running over a member of Caio Collett\u2019s crew while leaving the pits, forcing him to the back.<\/p>\n

Scott McLaughlin finished sixth, David Malukas seventh and Graham Rahal was eighth.<\/p>\n

Recent Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame inductee Alexander Rossi, also a former two-time champion in Long Beach, lined up 18th and came in ninth.<\/p>\n

Kyffin Simpson was 10th, rookie Dennis Hauger was 11th and Nolan Siegel, who crashed during practice on Saturday morning, started last but improved 13 spots and finished 12th.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Winning Indycar driver Alex Palou, celebrates with second place finisher Felix Rosenqvist, center, and third place finisher Scott…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":276326,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[131,28942,133,132,14396,127],"class_list":["post-276325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-grand-prix","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news","tag-motorsports","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=276325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/276326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=276325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=276325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=276325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}