Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix: It has been a different start to the 2024 IndyCar season than we are used to
MyBookie Best IndyCar Series Betting Site | Children's of Alabama Grand Prix
There have been 2 official races to this point but stuck in the middle of those events was the Thermal $1 Million Challenge.
Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix: It has been a different start to the 2024 IndyCar season than we are used to
MyBookie Best IndyCar Series Betting Site | Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix
There have been 2 official races to this point but stuck in the middle of those events was the Thermal $1 Million Challenge. While that race did not count toward the championship points total for the season, it was a fun one for drivers and fans alike, so much so that it will almost certainly become a permanent feature each season. This weekend, though, we get back to the official business of championship races, with the Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix the next race on the schedule. It’s still very early in the season, but it already looks like we are in for another fun battle for the championship, with some very familiar names making their mark. Let’s take a look at the current top 4 drivers and talk about their chances of winning this weekend.
Scott Dixon +860
There comes a time when drivers essentially age out and are forced to retire. While you might believe that Dixon, one of the best this sport has ever seen, might be at that point, he continues to deliver the goods. He heads into Alabama sitting atop the driver standings after his win in the Long Beach Grand Prix. It is, though, a long season and one win is not a sign that a championship might be in the future for Dixon. The big question now is whether Dixon can build on that win this weekend, and I have to say that I have some doubts. He has had some success in the past on this track, but he was 5th and 7th, respectively, in his last 2 Alabama runs.
After showing some real promise in his first couple of seasons with IndyCar, Herta has gone of the rails a little, finishing 10th overall in each of the last 2 seasons. He has managed just 1 win over the last 2 years, which you would think would make him something of a longshot this weekend. His form to start the season, though, suggests that he might be ready to get back in business, as he has a trio of top 5 finishes, with trips to the podium in both races that count toward the championship.
With 2 championship wins in the last 3 years, it’s more than fair to suggest that Palou is a driver at the top of his game. He has been no worse than 4th in the 2 championship races this season, but he also picked up the win in the Thermal Challenge that we mentioned earlier. Sure, that victory did not result in any points, but it’s also a sign that he will be among the winning drivers this season. As for his recent runs in Alabama, he has been in the top 5 in each of the last 2 seasons.
Outside of the 2022 season, when he finished 7th overall, O’Ward has been a consistent finisher in the top 4 in the overall driver standings. We are all waiting for him to take that next step forward and he made the perfect start to the new season by winning the opening race in St. Petersburg. He will, though, have been disappointed with his 16th place run in Long Beach and will be looking to bounce back this weekend. He won in Alabama in the 2022 season, so there is every reason to believe that this race might well represent a return to form.
When: Sunday, April 28 at 1:00pm ET Where: Birmingham, Alabama TV / Streaming: NBC, Peacock Practice 1: Friday, April 26, 3:40 pm – 4:55 pm ET Practice 2: Saturday, April 27, 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm ET Qualifications: Saturday, April 27, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm ET Warmup: Sunday, April 28, 10:15 am ET – 10:45 am ET
2024 IndyCar Full Schedule
5
Sonsio Grand Prix
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
Speedway, Indiana
May 11
6
108th Running of the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
May 26
7
Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix
Streets of Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
June 2
8
Grand Prix of Road America
Road America
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
June 9
9
Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, California
June 23
10
Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Lexington, Ohio
July 7
11
Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend Race 1
Iowa Speedway
Newton, Iowa
July 13
12
Hy-Vee Indycar Race Weekend Race 2
July 14
13
Honda Indy Toronto
Exhibition Place
Toronto, Ontario
July 21
14
Bommarito Automotive Group 500
World Wide Technology Raceway
Madison, Illinois
August 17
15
BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland
Portland International Raceway
Portland, Oregon
August 25
16
Milwaukee Mile Race 1
Milwaukee Mile
West Allis, Wisconsin
August 31
17
Milwaukee Mile Race 2
September 1
18
Big Machine Music City Grand Prix
Nashville Street Circuit
Nashville, Tennessee
September 15
I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?
We are 3 races into the new IndyCar season, and it already looks like we are going to have another tight championship race on our hands. This seems to be common in this sport, as we more often than not see that battle for the championship go all the way down to the final race of the season, which is how we all like it. This weekend, the drivers will head to Alabama for the next race on the 2023 calendar, but what will the standings look like when all is said and done? Will it be the same driver at the top of the standings, or will we see another take over the lead role? Only time will tell, but what we can do now is look at the IndyCar betting analysis and the current top 4 and how they might fare this weekend.
IndyCar Betting Analysis and Prediction for the Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix Race | IndyCar Odds
When: Sunday, April 30 at 3:00 pm ET Where: Barber Motorsports Park, Alabama TV / Streaming: NBC, Peacock
Marcus Ericsson
Last year proved to be something of a breakout season for Ericsson, who became a bit more of a household name after winning the Indianapolis 500. As big as that victory was, it was just one small part of the entire season. Ericsson failed to win another race after that one, with his lead at the top of the standings slipping away as he dropped to 6th in the overall standings at the end of the year. He is, though, off to a much better start in 2023, winning the opening race of the season and doing well enough in the other two to hold onto the #1 spot. This track, though, is one where he has not had much success, so might his lead be short-lived?
Pato O’Ward
Despite winning a pair of races in the 2022 season, you do have to say that the overall performance from O’Ward was a bit of a backward step, as he ended up finishing 7th overall after 2 straight seasons in the top 4. We might look back on that as nothing more than a blip on the radar, though, as he is out to a solid start, finishing 2nd in the opening 2 races of the season. O’Ward took the checkered flag in Alabama last season, and was 4th the year before that, so he has to be considered a threat this weekend.
Alex Palou
Winning consistently in any sport is tough, which Palou has quickly found out after winning the IndyCar Work Championship in just his 2nd full season in the sport. He followed that up with a 5th place overall finish last year, which I’m sure he will have seen as a disappointment, and while he has yet to win in 2023, he is off to a solid enough start through the opening 3 races. In his last 2 runs in Alabama, he had a 1st and 2nd place finish, so it’s safe to assume that he will be among the leaders again on Sunday.
Josef Newgarden
One thing that you can usually count on in IndyCar is that Josef Newgarden will head into the final race of the season with a shot at winning it all. Over the past 6 seasons, he has won the World Championship twice and finished 2nd on 3 other occasions. He is right there again after 3 races, but he will tell you that he expects better of himself than what he has delivered to this point in the season. His lone win was bookended by poorer performances, but he can never be counted out of any race.
