Note: This is a new feature series in which Eric Smith of INDYCAR.com compiles a power rankings after each NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, a list of who he thinks are the top-10 drivers at that point of the season. These are his rankings after Sunday’s thrilling Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
↑10. Marcus Ericsson (No. 28 Delaware Life Honda; Last Rank: NR)
A solid Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach leaps Ericsson into the top 10 of power rankings. The four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES race victor improved his points-paying finishing position 20 spots between 25th in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding to fifth in Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
↓9. Alexander Rossi (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 7)
A pair of top-10 finishes leave Rossi back in his ninth-place purgatory in the season standings. But Rossi said his team – and its pit crew, which ranks first in the Firestone Pit Stop Performance standings – is ascending. The Arrow McLaren driver ended the 2023 season with three top-seven finishes over the final four events and began 2024 by finishing eighth in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. At The Thermal Club, Rossi advanced to the main event, finishing seventh after a spicy duel with Josef Newgarden. In Long Beach, he finished 10th after rebounding from early-race contact with teammate Pato O’Ward.
↓8. Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 5)
Following a runner-up finish in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding, O’Ward was quickest in Friday’s opening practice session at Long Beach. The pace was downhill from there. O’Ward qualified 14th Saturday and finished a disappointing 16th in the 85-lap race a day later.
↓7. Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda; Last Rank: 3)
Rosenqvist’s speed continued in Long Beach, as he earned his sixth career NTT P1 Pole Award. But unfortunately, he didn’t finish up front. After the Meyer Shank Racing driver qualified second but finished seventh in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding, he battled brake problems from pole to finish ninth in last Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. The Saturday speed is there. Keeping the track position on Sunday is the challenge.
↓6. Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 2)
The Team Penske driver’s ascension came to a disappointing end at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. McLaughlin started 11th and finished 26th after a gearbox problem in the 85-lap race. While Scotty Mac hasn’t led a lap in 2024, he improved six positions in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding, climbing from ninth to third. He then followed with a runner-up finish around the 17-turn, 3.067-mile road course in the main event at The Thermal Club. He enters this weekend’s race at Barber Motorsports Park as the defending race winner.
↑5. Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 8)
Power, riding a career-long winless drought at 30 races, began the 2024 INDYCAR SERIES season with a fourth-place finish in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. He finished sixth after qualifying second for last Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. After two points-paying races, the two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion is fifth in points.
↑4. Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 9)
This was a tough one. Dixon is one of three NTT INDYCAR SERIES winners this season, including The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge exhibition race. However, he used strategy to improve from his eighth-place start in last Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach to reach victory lane. Still, saving fuel is an art, and while Dixon is the unquestioned leader in the paddock at that skill, he’s also had a relatively quiet season thus far. That’s scary for the paddock because the six-time series champion is third in points …
↑3. Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda; Last Rank: 6)
Herta, winless in his last 32 NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts, is off to a fast start. He finished fifth in St. Petersburg, fourth in The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge and second in last Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
↑2. Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 4)
If not for late-race contact from Herta dropping him to a fourth-place result at Long Beach, Newgarden was eight laps away from a second consecutive top-two finish to start the 2024 season. He led 19 of 85 laps in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach after leading 92 of 100 laps in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. A pair of top-four finishes with qualifying results of first and third, respectively, leave Newgarden with the points lead.
↔1. Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 1)
Palou followed his The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge victory with a solid Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend. The two-time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion charged from sixth at the start to finish third after 85 laps of racing. Palou has 21 consecutive top-eight finishes, including seven wins and 13 podium finishes.