Palou out early at Phoenix after clash with VeeKay

Alex Palou’s Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway lasted 11 laps after he and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay came together at the finish line.

Slow on the lap 10 restart, Palou was being threatened for fourth position from behind by Graham Rahal and VeeKay, and as Palou came through Turn 3 and started moving high towards the wall on approach to the start/finish line, he found VeeKay there, looking to pass on an outside lane that disappeared as Palou’s No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda crept upwards.

Palou appeared to be unaware of VeeKay’s presence, and as he drifted high, the left-front wheel of VeeKay’s No. 76 Chevy hit Palou’s right rear, which turned Palou and speared him into the wall. With his front suspension folded, the championship leader was done on the spot. VeeKay pitted for repairs to the front of his car and resumed after losing four laps.

Palou was seen and released by IndyCar Medical.