Alex Palou secured his fourth NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship Aug. 10 in the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland presented by askROI.

Palou officially receives his third consecutive Astor Challenge Cup trophy following Sunday’s Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot at Nashville Superspeedway, airing at 2 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

The Spaniard enters the season finale with eight wins, the most in a single season since Sebastien Bourdais in 2007. Among those wins was a victory in the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, making Palou the first driver since Dario Franchitti to win the “500” and the championship in the same year, also with Ganassi in 2010.

Palou’s statistical dominance continues: six NTT P1 Awards, the most since Will Power’s same tally in 2017, and 12 podiums, the most in a single season since Scott Dixon achieved the same number during his 2008 title run. Only Alex Zanardi (15 in 1998) and Al Unser (15 in 1970) have topped that podium mark in the last half-century.

Joining Palou on the championship podium Sunday will be Chip Ganassi, team owner and architect of one of the greatest dynasties in modern motorsport. This year's title marks the 17th championship for Ganassi, a number that ties his team with Team Penske for most in INDYCAR SERIES history. All 17 were earned within the past three decades.

“It’s very rewarding,” Ganassi said. “To have a driver like Alex (Palou) under your roof is special. You surround him with great people, the right engine, tires, chassis and race strategy, and you end up with a pretty good package.”

The season began with force, including five wins and a runner-up in the first six races, but even Ganassi admits he didn’t expect this level of dominance.

“We knew we had a strong team going in, but no one predicted a year like this,” Ganassi said. “I said at the start of the season we were just tapping into Alex’s talent. Unfortunately for everyone else, I don't think he's hit the ceiling yet.”

It’s clear Chip Ganassi Racing hasn’t hit its ceiling yet, either.

The rich winning legacy began with Jimmy Vasser’s title in 1996, continued with back-to-back championships by Zanardi in 1997 and 1998 and a fourth title in succession by Juan Pablo Montoya in 1999.

Six more came via Scott Dixon (2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2020) while Franchitti notched three straight (2009-11).

Chip Ganassi

Palou’s era may be the most dominant yet, but Ganassi (photo, above) refuses to compare his drivers across generations.

“That’s like saying Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady – who’s the best quarterback?” Ganassi said. “Different eras, different teams, different contexts. That’s the great thing about sports: We’ll never really know.”

What Ganassi does know is he likes winners. And no team has won like his in the last 17 years.

Since open-wheel unification in 2008, Chip Ganassi Racing has claimed 12 of 18 championships. In that same span, Team Penske has earned five and Andretti Global one.

Even when comparing across sports, the dominance stands out. Since Ganassi’s first title in 1996, only NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports (13 titles) comes close. Red Bull Racing leads Formula One with eight titles in that span. The New England Patriots and Los Angeles Lakers have six championships apiece, the New York Yankees five and the Detroit Red Wings four.

“I’m not blind to the fact that some of our strongest competitors are struggling,” Ganassi said. “That’s part of it. But we’ve stayed consistent.”

Ganassi attributes the sustained success to his team’s culture. But what does Ganassi do differently than others?

“I'd like to think in our team, we work a little harder at giving drivers what they need,” Ganassi said. “That might be something different for Palou than it is (Scott) Dixon, or different than Kyffin (Simpson).

“Different people need different things. We're not etched in granite with every single thing we do on the team. We personalize, whether it's the setups or the treatment of people. Everyone's not the same. I'd like to think we do a good job of getting the most out of our people from top to bottom, from the drivers all the way through the organization.

“That’s what it’s all about. And it’s working.”

He also believes that culture built on superior communication and commitment sets his organization apart and that he creates an environment where his employees can do their best work.

That mindset he instilled in the organization was rooted in his early adult years and the relationships he’s made along the way.

“You spend a lot of your time in life, in your 20s and 30s, of learning, whether it's in school or in college or whatever,” Ganassi said. “I had this architect friend of mine tell me one time: ‘You get to a point in life where you're not emulating everyone else, you're emulating yourself now. That's who you become one day.’

“I'd like to think I've taken a lot from a lot of people. I took a lot from my father. I took a lot from great relationships I've had with people at Target. I've taken parts of Roger Penske. I learned a lot from Mario Andretti.

“I've been fortunate over the years to come in contact with a lot of great people. When you're in contact with a lot of great people, those things rub off on you.

“I guess that's a combination of all those is what makes up this championship team.”