Alex Palou clinched his third IndyCar championship in four years despite finishing 11th in the season finale at Nashville Superspeedway. Palou's primary rival, Will Power, was forced into an early pit stop due to a seatbelt issue, finishing 24th and eliminating his championship hopes. Colton Herta won the race, securing his first career oval victory and second win of the season for Andretti Global, after a thrilling battle with Pato O’Ward. Kyle Kirkwood stunned by taking pole position in qualifying, his first on an oval, but the race's main focus remained on the championship battle. Palou’s victory marks the first back-to-back champion since Dario Franchitti’s three titles from 2009-2011. The season finale also highlighted other strong performances, including Josef Newgarden’s third-place finish and Santino Ferrucci’s sixth place.