INDYCAR RETURNS AT PORTLAND AS THE CHAMPIONSHIP ENTERS ITS FINAL STAGE
After the short summer break, the 2026 IndyCar season returns this weekend with the Grand Prix of Portland. The race marks the start of the final stretch of the championship, with Portland serving as the second-to-last road course before the season heads to the famous Laguna Seca circuit next month.
Portland International Raceway has become one of the most popular venues on the IndyCar calendar. The circuit also hosted Formula E’s United States race for two seasons before the championship moved to Homestead in 2025. Opened in 1961, the track was built on the site of a former airport after the town of Vanport was destroyed by the Columbia River flood in 1948.
The circuit is almost two miles long and is mostly flat, but it still offers several challenging sections. The best overtaking opportunity comes at the heavy braking zone for the opening chicane at the end of the main straight. The track is very wide on the approach, allowing several cars to fight side by side before reaching the tight first corner. However, the narrow exit often leads to contact, and many dramatic incidents have happened there over the years.
After the opening section, the circuit flows through a series of fast corners before reaching the long back straight that runs alongside Portland’s lake. Drivers have another chance to overtake under braking for Turn 10, a tight left-hand corner, before completing the lap through the fast final bends leading back onto the main straight.
Alex Palou arrives at Portland in a strong position after winning the previous race in Nashville. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver now leads the championship with 457 points and holds an 83-point advantage over his closest rival, David Malukas. Palou’s consistency has been one of the biggest reasons behind his impressive campaign, and the Spaniard is now in a position where he could secure a fifth IndyCar title before the final race of the season.
David Malukas remains second in the standings, while Kyle Kirkwood occupies third place with 370 points. The Arrow McLaren pair of Christian Lundgaard and Pato O’Ward are currently fourth and fifth as they continue their fight for a place inside the championship’s top three.
Josef Newgarden has experienced another inconsistent season, combining strong performances with difficult weekends. The Team Penske driver currently sits sixth in the standings, while teammate Scott McLaughlin is only eighth as the team looks to finish the season on a stronger note.
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