PORTLAND, Oregon – Points leader Alex Palou wasted little time reminding the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field why he remains the championship favorite, topping Friday’s opening practice for the 2026 OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland at Portland International Raceway.
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver posted a best lap of 58.5716 seconds in the No. 10 DHL Honda to lead the 64-minute session and put the championship leader at the top of the timing charts as the series entered the crucial late-season stretch.
Practice Results
Palou’s pace came on Firestone’s primary tire, while the reigning champion admitted there is still work to do on the alternate compound ahead of Saturday’s second practice and qualifying.
“Good day, great start,” Palou said. “I think there’s some work to do with the alternates.”
“It’s good that we tested here because it allowed us to start with good speed already in the No. 10 DHL Honda. But, yeah, some work to do still. We just need more speed.”
Palou and Ganassi teammates Scott Dixon and Kyffin Simpson had already tested at the 1.964-mile, 12-turn Portland circuit on July 29, and that preparation appeared to pay dividends immediately.
Kirkwood Leads the Alternate-Tire Charge
Kyle Kirkwood emerged as Palou’s closest challenger, finishing P2 overall with a 58.6602-second lap in the No. 27 Andretti Global Honda.
Unlike Palou, Kirkwood set his best time on the alternate Firestone tire, making his performance particularly noteworthy heading into Saturday’s qualifying session. Andretti made substantial setup changes after Kirkwood struggled at Portland last year, when he qualified 19th and finished 20th.
“This is a big step in the right direction,” Kirkwood said of the changes.
Rinus VeeKay continued his impressive 2026 campaign by placing P3 for Juncos Hollinger Racing with a 58.7996, followed by two-time defending Portland winner Will Power in the No. 26 Andretii Global Honda at 58.9096 and Louis Foster in the No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda at 58.9274.
Power Still in the Mix
Power’s 4th place result immediately put the Andretti driver back into the conversation for another Portland victory.
The Australian has won the Portland race each of the last two seasons, including last year from the Team Penske camp. Now driving for Andretti Global, Power showed that his familiarity with the circuit remains a major asset despite the team change.
Foster rounded out the top five after overcoming technical problems early in the session that kept his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda in the paddock for an extended period.
Trouble at Turn 1
The opening session wasn’t without drama.
Marcus Armstrong and Pato O’Ward both made contact with the Armco barrier at the tricky Turn 1 in separate incidents. Both drivers suffered damage to the right-front area of their cars and spent extended time in the pits while their crews made repairs. Both ultimately returned to the track.
O’Ward’s incident was particularly notable as Arrow McLaren continues to search for pace at a circuit where the team has yet to find the kind of performance it wants heading into the weekend.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan also dealt with a mechanical setback, with Foster’s car suffering an issue following an engine installation before he returned to the session and charged into the top five. Dennis Hauger had an even tougher day, failing to turn a lap.
Championship Pressure Builds
While Friday’s times won’t award any points, the session provided an early glimpse at the competitive order with the championship battle entering its final stretch.
Palou arrived in Portland with an 83-point advantage over David Malukas, while Kirkwood sat third, another 87 points behind the championship leader.
Malukas finished P8 in opening practice with a 58.9888, keeping the Team Penske driver within striking distance as the weekend progresses.
The competitive nature of the field was also evident: less than half a second separated the top 10 on Friday.
With Practice 1 complete, Palou has the early advantage—but Kirkwood’s alternate-tire pace, Power’s Portland pedigree and the tight margins throughout the field suggest there is plenty still to be decided.
Up Next: Practice 2, Saturday at 1:05 PM/ET
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