It’s winning time in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

In this weekend’s BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland presented by askROI, Alex Palou can secure his third consecutive series championship and fourth title in the past five years. But there’s even more at stake as the season’s homestretch begins.

Only four drivers have won races this season, which means 23 have not. Over the past four years, a minimum of seven drivers has reached victory lane at least once, and the average during that stretch is 8.25 winners per season. Last year, all seven winners captured two or more races.

Among last year’s race winners, Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Colton Herta are still looking for win No. 1 this season. Marcus Ericsson and Christian Lundgaard won their most recent races in 2023. Alexander Rossi last visited victory lane in 2022.

A race win doesn’t define a driver’s season, but it makes an offseason more digestible. Thus, expect the intensity to increase in these final three races.

Power is the defending champion of this weekend’s event at Portland International Raceway. Last year, he led 101 of the 110 laps and reached the finish line 9.8267 seconds ahead of Palou for his second career victory on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile circuit. Power also won the 2019 race.

McLaughlin is another former Portland winner, his victory coming in 2022. Palou has won twice, in 2021 and 2023.

Several other drivers can draw from past Portland success. Felix Rosenqvist has twice finished second at the track, in 2019 and 2023. Rossi has scored a pair of podium finishes – he finished third in 2019 and was second in 2021. Newgarden finished third last year.

Santino Ferrucci earned the first NTT P1 Award of his career last year at Portland, and the hand he injured in Toronto has had a week off to heal. He should come into the weekend with optimism. Graham Rahal is another former Portland pole winner, that qualifying effort coming in 2023.

Despite the pursuit by others, Palou will be the focus of the weekend. His lead on Pato O’Ward is 121 points, and the Spaniard will clinch the championship if he exits the weekend with a cushion of 108 points.

Palou is bidding to become the fourth driver in history to win three consecutive series titles. Those who have done it are Ted Horn, Sebastien Bourdais and Dario Franchitti.

Palou also still has a shot at the record for wins in a season. He has eight, two shy of the mark set by A.J. Foyt (10 in 1964) and matched by Al Unser (10 in 1970). Mario Andretti, who won nine in 1969, is the only other driver with more wins in a season than Palou.

Sunday’s race will air live on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network at 3 p.m. ET. The weekend’s first practice is at 5:30 p.m. ET Friday on FS2 and the INDYCAR Radio Network.