Indycar Phoenix Race Recap

This weekend Indycar returned to Phoenix for the first time since 2018, to kick off the first oval race of the 2026 season. After seats were shuffled in the off-season, the drivers got to test their skills and precision on the one-mile track in a joint event with NASCAR Cup series dubbed the Desert double. Ovals always amazing spectacles, and the Good Ranchers 250 certainly delivered.

Qualifying at Phoenix Raceway

In oval qualifying, drivers take on the track one at a time in reverse championship order. Each is allowed two fast laps, whose average times determine the grid for the race.

Felix Rosenqvist was forced to sit out the event following his big crash in practice, while new Andretti driver Will Power hit the wall during his attempt before setting a time. The final standings saw a Penske front row lockout, with Josef Newgarden joining first-time pole sitter David Malukas, and a very notable effort from Mick Schumacher starting from the second row.

Qualifying results

• Row 1: David Malukas, Josef Newgarden
• Row 2: Graham Rahal, Mick Schumacher
• Row 3: Scott McLaughlin, Alexander Rossi
• Row 4: Pato O’Ward, Rinus Veekay
• Row 5: Nolan Siegel, Alex Palou
• Row 6: Kyle Kirkwood, Sting Ray Robb
• Row 7: Marcus Armstrong, Marcus Ericsson
• Row 8: Scott Dixon, Louis Foster
• Row 9: Christian Lundgaard, Christian Rasmussen
• Row 10: Kyffin Simpson, Romain Grosjean
• Row 11: Santino Ferrucci, Dennis Hauger (R)
• Row 12: Caio Collet (R), Will Power
• Row 13: Felix Rosenqvist

Race

The green flag is waved in the Phoenix desert, with Malukas quickly opening a gap from Newgarden while drivers move up the field. As reigning champion Alex Palou makes up six places going from tenth to fourth position, Power plows through the field up to 14th place after starting at the back of the grid.

First caution comes out on lap 11, when Hauger spins and drives a few meters in reverse. He quickly gets back in the race, while the first round of pit stops begins. Quickly after that, on lap 23, comes the first big accident: Veekay tries to pass Palou on the outside, the Ganassi driver doesn’t notice him and squeezes him to the wall. As a result, the cars make contact, Palou finds the wall and is out of the race.

Big moves continue through the field, as Dixon and Rasmussen continue moving up spots. On lap 60, the ECR driver is up 12 places, as his charge continues. Subsequently, another round of pit stops begins, as Mick Schumacher has a slow stop, dropping from 11th to 22nd. Malukas and Newgarden are once again at the front of the field, making the audience hold their breath as they make small contact after Malukas exits the pits. On lap 104, Christian Rasmussen is up to first place.

Second half

During lap 143, Louis Foster clips the wall and is forced back to the pits as another caution is out; pit stops and strategies continue to shuffle the field, with Power eventually finding himself in the lead. On lap 207, Rasmussen is on the move once again and tries to overtake Power: the two make contact in a way similar to Palou and Veekay earlier. Power has a punctured tire and enters the pits, followed by a big chunk of the grid under caution.

The action isn’t over yet, as the last fifteen laps see Kirkwood and Rasmussen fighting for the lead. In the meantime, Newgarden is up to 3rd place with fresh Firestone tires after his last stop on lap 222. This will prove to be a decisive move, as Rasmussen starts dropping down the order because of older tires. Kirkwood is also on a used set, therefore allowing Newgarden to take the lead and eventually win the race.

Phoenix Good Ranchers 250 top ten

1. Josef Newgarden
2. Kyle Kirkwood
3. David Malukas
4. Pato O’Ward
5. Marcus Armstrong
6. Alexander Rossi
7. Scott Dixon
8. Scott McLaughlin
9. Graham Rahal
10. Kyffin Simpson

Featured image credit: Indycar

Edited by Alexandra.

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Francesca | Motorsports writer

Motorsports writer for The Fastest Sector, focused on IndyCar and Formula E.

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