Today’s question: Which driver should worry Alex Palou the most in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship chase with nine races remaining?

Curt Cavin: It seems to me Alex Palou’s battle is largely internal, and by that I mean it’s his championship to lose. If he and the No. 10 crew at Chip Ganassi Racing command these next two races as they are capable of, it will take a miracle to catch them. However, if they aren’t on their game at Road America (this weekend) and Mid-Ohio (July 4-6), the title fight could get very interesting very quickly. Ultimately what I’m saying is that this driver with a 73-point lead has a key stretch awaiting him, but if he rolls through these two road races, he’s a shoo-in for another championship. If he doesn’t, he will be vulnerable down the stretch.

Eric Smith: Pato O’Ward could be Palou’s threat because of what’s ahead. His worst results this season came on street circuits, and Toronto is the only one left. His best tracks are ovals. He finished third in the “500” and runner-up at World Wide Technology Raceway this year. Among the four circle tracks remaining, he has four podium finishes in his last six Iowa Speedway starts, including a victory in the second race of the 2022 weekend and a runner-up to Scott McLaughlin in Race 1 last year. He also won at Milwaukee Mile last year and placed second at Nashville Superspeedway. Those are once again the final two races of the season. In addition, an eighth-place finish by Palou at WWTR brought back questions about whether he can truly dominate on circle tracks. If O’Ward can replicate his oval success, he can close the gap in a hurry. Also, he could be Palou’s biggest threat on natural road courses, which wouldn’t allow the Spaniard to pull away. O’Ward finished runner-up to Palou this season at both The Thermal Club and the Sonsio Grand Prix. There are four of these tracks left, including Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 6, a track where he beat Palou last year. O’Ward has great tracks left and plenty of opportunities to close the gap further.

Paul Kelly: Simple answer here: No one. It’s great for the fans that Palou’s lead in the standings is back down to double digits instead of triple figures, but he’s still more than a race ahead of his closest rivals nearing the season’s halfway point. By the end of eight races last season, Palou led by just 23 points, with two victories. Palou still cantered to the title, with only Will Power having more than a mathematical chance to catch him at the season finale at Nashville. This year at the same juncture, Palou has five wins and leads by 75 points, yet we’re supposed to think this race will get taut? I’m not buying it. It would be one thing if Palou and his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing team were unproven in the crucible of a title race, but they’re chasing title No. 4 in the last five years. Plus, for all the somewhat legitimate questions about how Palou will fare in the four remaining oval races, I’ll instead look at the remaining road courses. Palou has two career wins each at Road America, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland, and one at Mid-Ohio. Plus, with only Palou and Kyle Kirkwood winning races so far this season, who is the obvious candidate – other than Kirkwood – to step forward and take this crown from Palou? Try no one.