Seal the Deal: Clinch Scenarios for Title, Rookie of the Year

By INDYCAR | Published: Sep 25, 2021

Alex Palou

The scenarios to clinch the NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers’ championship and Rookie of the Year Award on Sunday at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP

  • There is a maximum of 54 points possible for the final race of the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.
  • Alex Palou (No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing) needs 19 points in the final race (finishing 11th or better) to eliminate Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP) and Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Team Penske) and clinch his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship.
  • Palou holds all of the tiebreakers over O’Ward. The first tiebreaker is race wins – Palou has three wins, O’Ward has two wins. Should O’Ward win Long Beach and tie Palou on points, they also would be tied on race wins. Palou has the next tiebreaker on O’Ward, as well, which is second-place finishes. Palou has two; O’Ward has one. Newgarden would hold the tiebreaker on Palou and O’Ward in the event of a tie as he holds the tiebreaker with three runner-up finishes.

How It’s Done

  • Alex Palou will clinch the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with a finish of 11th place or better, regardless of what Pato O’Ward or Josef Newgarden does at Long Beach. (Palou could finish as low as 14th and still clinch depending on bonus points earned by Palou, O’Ward and Newgarden at Long Beach.)
  • Pato O’Ward will clinch the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with a win and an Alex Palou finish of 25th or worse. O’Ward could finish second with any bonus point and clinch the title with an Alex Palou finish of 25th or worse and if Josef Newgarden doesn’t win with maximum points.
  • Josef Newgarden will clinch the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with a win with maximum points and an Alex Palou finish of 25th or worse.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

  • There is a maximum of 54 points possible for the final race of the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.
  • Scott McLaughlin needs 35 points in the final race (finishing third or better) to eliminate Romain Grosjean and clinch NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year title.

How It’s Done

  • Scott McLaughlin will clinch the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year title with a finish of third place or better, regardless of what Romain Grosjean does at Long Beach.
  • Romain Grosjean will clinch the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year a finish of seventh or better and a Scott McLaughlin finish of 25th or worse.