↑10. Marcus Armstrong (No. 11 Root Insurance Honda; Last Rank: NR)
Armstrong, in the top 10 of both practice sessions last weekend at Barber Motorsports Park, turned that speed into being the top-qualifying Chip Ganassi Racing driver Saturday, a career-best sixth. Armstrong then finished ninth in the 90-lap race, ensuring him a spot in the top 10 of the Power Rankings.
↑9. Christian Lundgaard (No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda; Last Rank: NR)
The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver finally put it all together at Barber Motorsports Park. Lundgaard was fifth in both practice sessions, qualified third and finished sixth. Next up is the Sonsio Grand Prix on the 2.439-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Lundgaard has qualified fourth, eighth, sixth, first and second, respectively, at that track with finishes of 12th, ninth, second, fourth and fourth.
↑8. Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 AutoNation Honda; Last Rank: NR)
Has there been anyone in the top 10 of points quieter this season than Kirkwood? He is seventh in points after three consecutive top-10 finishes to begin the 2024 season. Kirkwood finished 10th at both St. Petersburg and Barber Motorsports Park and seventh in Long Beach.
↓7. Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 4)
Another tough week to figure out where to place Dixon. His season is highlighted by a remarkable fuel-saving victory at Long Beach. But finishes of seventh in St. Petersburg and 15th at Barber Motorsports Park, coupled with rare mistakes at The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge on the opening lap of his heat race and another mishap on Lap 18 Sunday at Barber, leave questions. He has also qualified a puzzling 11th, eighth and 13th, respectively. The pace doesn’t seem to be there yet …
↓6. Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 2)
Newgarden had a tumultuous week at Barber, removing his dominant season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding victory as part of the penalties levied on Team Penske. Then, finishing 16th in a rough race at Barber Motorsports Park tumbles Newgarden down the list. Still, if not for late-race contact from Colton Herta dropping him to a fourth-place result at Long Beach, Newgarden was eight laps away from a top-two finish. He has qualifying results of first, third and eighth, respectively, too.
↑5. Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda; Last Rank: 7)
Rosenqvist has qualified second, first and fifth this season and finished fifth, ninth and fourth. That has the Meyer Shank Racing driver fifth in points leaving Barber Motorsports Park. The strong start of the season has Rosenqvist in the hunt to end a 65-race winless skid.
↑4. Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Good Ranchers Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 6)
McLaughlin’s ascension came to a disappointing end at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. He started 11th and finished 26th after a gearbox problem in the 85-lap race. Then he lost his third-place finish from the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding due to penalties levied on Team Penske. But a pole and leading 58 of 90 laps in his second consecutive victory at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday, coupled with a runner-up finish around the 17-turn, 3.067-mile road course in the main event at The Thermal Club, moves him up again.
↑3. Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 5)
Power, riding a career-long winless drought at 31 races, began the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with a pair of runner-up finishes in three races. He was second in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in addition to last Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park. Power finished sixth after qualifying second for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and is one point out of the series lead.
↑2. Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda; Last Rank: 3)
Herta, winless in his last 33 NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts, is off to a fast start. He’s leading the points for the first time in his career. He finished fifth in St. Petersburg, fourth in The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge, second in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and eighth at Barber Motorsports Park.
↔1. Alex Palou (No. 10 Ridgeline Lubricants Honda; Last Rank: 1)
Palou entered the Month of May last year third in points. He went on a tear and never looked back en route to his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in three seasons. This year, he comes to May in the same spot in points. Palou charged from 13th to finish fourth in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. He came from sixth to third in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and most recently from 10th to fifth in last Sunday’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst. Oh, yeah:He won The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge and has 22 consecutive top-eight finishes, including that exhibition race,with seven wins and 13 podium finishes.