Palou wins Indy 500, Chastain takes Coca Cola 600

Alex Palou took the ceremonial swig of milk in victory lane at the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. 

The first Spaniard to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” then took a victory lap with his entourage around Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the back of a pickup truck. 

Palou came to the speedway as the two-time defending IndyCar champion — he has three titles in four years — and had opened this year with victories in four of the first five races.

Palou was in fuel-saving mode over the closing laps, following former Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Marcus Ericsson. With 16 laps remaining, Palou charged ahead and was never challenged from there, taking the checkered flag as a crash brought out a caution.

Josef Newgarden’s bid to win three consecutive Indy 500s ended with a fuel pump issue. He was trying to become the first driver to come from the back row to win.

Meanwhile, Kyle Larson’s day went from bad to worse when he crashed out at the Indianapolis 500 on Lap 91. Then Sunday night at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Larson again was caught up in a wreck on Lap 246 of the Coca-Cola 600, ending a disappointing day in which he was bidding to become the second driver to finish both races and run the combined 1,100 miles.

Ross Chastain passed two-time Daytona 500 winner William Byron with six laps left and won the Coca-Cola 600, capping a remarkable comeback and becoming the first driver to win the event after starting at the back of the field.

Chastain smashed a watermelon to the pavement in Victory Lane. It's a way for Chastain to uniquely honor his family’s legacy as eighth-generation watermelon farmers. 

(AP Photo AJ Mast)