Could A Freedom 250 Win Cement Alex Palou As This Series' Best INDYCAR Driver?

The inaugural Freedom 250 is the first race of its kind and could provide a turning point in terms of champions; as driver Àlex Palou is on the brink of a near fourth-consecutive INDYCAR title.

Palou has been the driver to beat this season, clinching wins in the Grand Prix St. Petersburg, Grand Prix of Long Beach, Detroit Grand Prix, Music City Grand Prix in Nashville and most recently the Grand Prix of Portland. 

A win for Palou – and a ninth place or lower finish for Kyle Kirkwood – would solidify Palou’s title. If Palou does not place first, he has three more chances: Milwaukee Mile Race 1 and 2 and the Grand Prix of Monterey.

Following his win at Portland, Palou surged to a 542-point lead, with Kirkwood trailing by 133 points with 409. Ahead of the Freedom 250, Palou has the chance to cement his title win.

Christian Lundgaard joined Thursday’s edition of First Things First to talk about the expectations for Palou ahead of Sunday’s race.

"He has proven well enough by now that he’s not going to crack under pressure. We can try as hard as we want…To catch him it is mathematically possible," Lundgaard said on First Things First. "He’s probably the best INDYCAR driver the series has seen… He just keeps proving us all wrong."

While Palou emerges as the favorite to take home his seventh win, it’s hard to look past other talented drivers competing for a victory in Washington D.C.

Kirkwood will be a driver to watch come Sunday. Although his performance at Markham was decent – started 22nd and finished 21st – he still sits in second place. Kirkwood’s last win came in Arlington in March.

Freedom 250 is slated to begin Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET, on FOX and the green flag for the main race is expected to wave around 1:13 p.m. ET.