IndyCar: Palou hit with yet another grid penalty (Update)

INDYCAR officials have announced a nine-position starting grid penalty for the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing entry for an unapproved engine change following last week’s race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

The team was in violation of:

Rule 16.2.3.2 A fifth (5^th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5^th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out.

According to the rule book, the penalty for such a change (six-position starting grid penalty on road and street courses and nine-position starting grid penalty on ovals) comes at the series’ next event, which is the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on Saturday, Aug. 21 at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Note: Can we just award Scott Dixon the Vanderbilt Cup trophy now so IndyCar can get lots of good press around Dixon’s 7th title, tying AJ Foyt?

As a result of his Honda engine blowing up in the last IndyCar race on the streets of Nashville while running a strong 4th, points leader Alex Palou will be hit with a grid penalty for another new Honda engine for this weekend’s Bommarito 500  at Gateway.

If IndyCar hits points leader Palou with enough of these grid penalties, they can gift Scott Dixon yet another IndyCar title.