During Saturday’s Good Ranchers 250 NTT IndyCar Series race at Phoenix Raceway, Rinus VeeKay collided with the back of Alex Palou‘s No. 10 Honda just one lap after a restart following Dennis Hauger’s spin. This incident forced Palou, the four-time series champion, out of the race after he had advanced six positions from his 10th-place start. The clash ended Palou’s remarkable run, making headlines across the IndyCar community.
Palou had maintained the championship lead since the race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on June 23, 2024, winning nine races and securing two championships during that span—the longest streak ever recorded in IndyCar history. He extended his points leadership to 28 consecutive races after triumphing again at the season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida.
VeeKay’s repeated on-track clashes with Palou raise concerns
Rinus VeeKay has developed a reputation for aggressive moves that carry significant risk throughout his seven-year IndyCar career, and his ongoing pattern of incidents with Palou is raising eyebrows. He previously made contact with Palou at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2021, again during the 2023 Indy 500 pit stop, and most recently at Phoenix.
Despite the tight racing conditions, VeeKay appeared to attempt a move where no space existed, resulting in the collision. Palou described the incident as a racing incident and stated he never noticed VeeKay approaching on the outside.
Conversely, VeeKay blamed Palou for “driving up on me,” which caused damage to VeeKay’s No. 76 Chevrolet and led to lost laps. The role of team spotters during the moment remains unclear.
“Here’s another look at what happened between Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay at Phoenix. pic.twitter.com/9rHO2aHKXu” – INDYCAR on FOX
Consequences for Palou’s championship lead and driver standings
After accumulating 53 points at the season opener, Palou left Phoenix with only five points due to a 24th-place finish, relinquishing his lead in the championship standings for the first time since June 9, 2024. That day, Will Power of Team Penske took the points lead by winning at Road America. The updated points standings will be available after the race, with Fox providing live coverage.
Background on VeeKay’s career trajectory
VeeKay’s most recent victory came in May 2021 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for Ed Carpenter Racing. Following the 2024 season, he was replaced by Alexander Rossi and joined Dale Coyne Racing for 2025. In 2026, he moved to Juncos Hollinger Racing, taking over from Conor Daly.
Here's another look at what happened between Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay at Phoenix. pic.twitter.com/9rHO2aHKXu
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) March 7, 2026
