Just as happened in Race 2, Pato O’Ward benefitted from another driver’s misfortune to sweep both Milwaukee races. Plus Alex Palou officially won title No. 5.
The driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet took advantage of David Malukas’ engine issues on the final restart with 24 laps to go to win the day-delayed Snap-On Makers and Fixers 250, just hours after he won Race 2. It’s the first time since Rick Mears at Echopark Speedway in Atlanta in 1981 that a driver won two races on the same day.
“We were determined today,” he said. “We were determined to keep ourselves in the fight, keep ourselves in the opportunity of anything that came our way that we could take advantage of.
“I’m super proud of everybody. Super proud of Team Chevy. It’s been a huge weekend for them. Obviously very proud that I was able to bring two dubs for them. For Arrow McLaren, like I said, it’s been such a challenging year at the ovals for me. This closes it out exactly how I had it in my mind coming into the weekend.
“Yeah, I mean, I told you. I told you in the video. I showed Alex (Palou). Wait until I do my dump later. It’s going to be a good one. On Instagram, not in the toilet (laughter).
“Yeah, no, congratulations to Alex. It’s unbelievable, four in a row. Already a 500 winner. Yeah, he’s already got five.”
It’s his 12th career victory in 124 NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts, third of the 2026 season and third at the Milwaukee Mile.
Malukas, who had the race in check, had an engine issue on the final restart, lost the lead and brought his No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet home to a runner-up finish for the sixth time in his career.
“I’m just so frustrated,” Malukas said. “We had the car; we did everything right. We’re just cursed. I literally believe I have some sort of curse. Everything was in our favor there.
“This weekend, both races, we were having issues with the engine on restarts and coming out of the pits, needing to lift and having these events where we just lose power. That really let us down.”
Rinus VeeKay, after he worked his way from last to the top-10, Saturday, rounded out the podium.
Scott McLaughlin and Christian Rasmussen rounded out the top-five.
Christian Lundgaard, Josef Newgarden, Marcus Ericsson, Marcus Armstrong and Palou brought his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda home to a 10th-place finish. Enough to clinch his fifth IndyCar title and fourth in a row.
“It’s tough to put into words,” Palou said. “Everything that I owe to this team, to these two mens sitting next to me, that they give me the opportunity to be not only a race winner, then a champion, now a five-time champion.
“It’s been incredible. I just feel like we just started yesterday. It just feels like we started yesterday. We’re just getting closer and closer. We’re having more fun and more fun each day.
“It’s been an absolute joy of a year. The last two years have been just magical for us.”
Pato O’Ward sweeps both Milwaukee races, and Alex Palou clinches title No. 5
Race summary
Saturday
Rain delayed the start of the race for over an hour. O’Ward led the field to green at 3:35 p.m. ET. Newgarden pulled inside of O’Ward on Lap 2, but backed off exiting Turn 4 and the race settled into a green flag rhythm. Felix Rosenqvist overtook Newgarden off Turn 2 on Lap 14 and quickly reeled in O’Ward. He shot past O’Ward entering Turn 1 to take the race lead on Lap 22. As he worked his way through lap traffic, he pulled away from O’Ward, and later Newgarden. Helped by O’Ward and Newgarden continuously fighting for second. While all of this transpired up front, VeeKay worked his way from 24th to 10th on Lap 38, when he passed Romain Grosjean on the backstretch. Kyle Kirkwood kicked off a cycle of green flag stops on Lap 43. Rosenqvist pitted from the lead on Lap 52. Will Power pitted from the lead on Lap 54. Dennis Hauger pitted from the lead on Lap 57. O’Ward passed Grosjean, who had yet to pit, for the lead down the backstretch on Lap 58.
Caution flew on Lap 65 for rain. After circling around the track 25 laps, intermittent rain brought the field down pit lane and IndyCar red flagged the race. The rain grew heavier and IndyCar directed all cars back to the paddock. With only 30 minutes of sunlight left and the track not drying fast enough, IndyCar postponed the remainder of the race to Sunday.
Sunday
INDYCAR lifted the red flag, Sunday, after 25 hours and 40 minutes, and the pace car led the field off pit lane. Two drivers, Sting Ray Robb and Armstrong, pitted under the caution. Back to green on Lap 100, the field settled into a green flag rhythm. O’Ward pulled out to a 1.5 second lead, after 10 laps. Kirkwood, fighting to extend the title fight to the season finale, dropped seven spots since the restart. On Lap 117 he pitted from 15th and kicked off a cycle of green flag stops. O’Ward pitted from the lead on Lap 119. Malukas pitted from the lead on Lap 143 and O’Ward cycled back to the front of the field.
Malukas put the more than 20-lap fresher tires to good use, as he sliced and diced his way through the field and into the top-10. Caution flew on Lap 154, when Hauger made contact with Mick Schumacher and he spun in Turn 4. Malukas stayed out while the lead lap cars pitted under the caution and retook the race lead.
Back to green on Lap 164, the race again settled into a green flag rhythm. Unlike Race 2, Malukas passed lapped cars with ease and widened his lead over O’Ward. Scott Dixon kicked off a cycle of green flag stops on Lap 191. Malukas pitted from the lead on Lap 195. Rasmussen pitted from the lead on Lap 196 and Malukas cycled back to the lead.
Caution flew on Lap 200, when Power, trying to pass Nolan Siegel, ran high in Turn 3, got into the marbles and kissed the wall in Turn 4. Newgarden was the lone driver to pit for new tires under this caution.
Back to green on Lap 211, caution flew with 37 laps to go when Caio Collet bounced off Newgarden and hit the frontstretch wall.
Back to green with 24 to go, O’Ward powered by Malukas into Turn 1 for the race lead and drove on to victory.
Pato O’Ward sweeps both Milwaukee races, and Alex Palou clinches title No. 5
Nuts and bolts
The race lasted two hours, 11 minutes and 42 seconds, at an average speed of 115.601 mph. There were 12 lead changes among eight different drivers and four cautions for 70 laps.
Palou leaves Milwaukee with a 100-point lead over Lundgaard.
The NTT IndyCar Series returns to action, Sunday, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the season finale Mission Grand Prix of Monterey.
