Graham Rahal Eager for Sunday Fight at Front Alex Palou secured the pole position for Sunday’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst, starting first at Barber Motorsports Park. The four-time series champion, including three consecutive titles, earned the NTT P1 Award last year and converted it into his second victory at the track, finishing 16.0035 seconds ahead of the field. Rahal, meanwhile, finds himself in unfamiliar territory, starting third in the No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Rahal and points leader Kyle Kirkwood were the only drivers to qualify on used sets of the softer Firestone Firehawk alternate tires in the Firestone Fast Six, leaving them with two fresh sets for Sunday’s race. Kirkwood starts a season-best fifth in the No. 27 JM Bullion/Gold.com Honda for Andretti Global. Rahal acknowledged the challenge of adapting to the tire strategy, stating, “We’re not here all that often, so we don’t really know the strategy too much.” Despite his recent form, Rahal believed his qualifying effort at Barber fell short of perfection. He reached the Firestone Fast Six four times last season, including two appearances on natural road courses. His best result at the track was a second-place finish in the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and a sixth-place showing at Road America. However, Rahal questioned whether he has enough to challenge Palou, who led 81 of 90 laps in last year’s race at the 2.3-mile, 17-turn circuit. The 90-lap race, airing at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX One, the FOX Sports app, and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls, presents a critical opportunity for Rahal. If the tire strategy breaks his way, he may be well-positioned to contend for the win.#alex_palou #graham_rahal #barber_motorsports_park #fifth_third_bank_honda
How to Watch INDYCAR Desert Double Race at Phoenix: TV Channel, Streaming, Time The 2026 INDYCAR season will feature a high-octane doubleheader at Phoenix Raceway as part of the Desert Double event, with the second race of the year set for Saturday. The Good Ranchers 250 will take place at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, with live coverage also available on FOX One, the FOX Sports app, and the FOX Sports website. This event marks the first of two motorsports races on FOX this weekend, with the NASCAR Cup Series set to race on Sunday. The 2026 INDYCAR season officially kicks off with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, a street race in Florida, before returning to Phoenix for the second race. Alex Palou, who secured his fourth INDYCAR championship in 2025, continued his dominance by winning the season-opening race at St. Petersburg. The victory solidifies his position as a top contender for the 2026 title. INDYCAR’s last appearance at Phoenix Raceway was in 2018, when Josef Newgarden claimed victory. Since 2005, the series has only raced at the one-mile desert track three times—2016, 2017, and 2018. The return to Phoenix is expected to draw significant attention, given the track’s unique challenges and the competitive nature of the series. The next INDYCAR race of the 2026 season will be the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, a street race in Texas set for Sunday, March 15, at 12:30 p.m. ET. This event will also air on FOX and FOX One. Throughout the season, every INDYCAR race will be broadcast live on FOX, including the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. For viewers without cable, live-streaming options include the FOX Sports website, FOX One, and the FOX Sports app. Additional services like YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and fuboTV carry FOX content.#fox #phoenix_raceway #indycar #alex_palou #java_house_grand_prix_of_arlington
