IndyCar's final stretch begins with last oval race of year
FILE - Romain Grosjean competes during an IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, in this Sunday, July 4, 2021, file photo. Former Formula One driver Romain Grosjean, who moved to IndyCar this year but said he'd only race the road and street courses, has fallen in love with the series and relented on his opposition to ovals. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar, File)

FILE - Romain Grosjean competes during an IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, in this Sunday, July 4, 2021, file photo. Former Formula One driver Romain Grosjean, who moved to IndyCar this year but said he'd only race the road and street courses, has fallen in love with the series and relented on his opposition to ovals. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar, File)

Aug. 20, 2021 08:06 AM EDT
FILE - Romain Grosjean, of Switzerland, talks with a crew member before a warm-up session for the IndyCar auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, in this Saturday, May 15, 2021, file photo. Former Formula One driver Romain Grosjean, who moved to IndyCar this year, decided to give it a try after watching the Indianapolis 500 on television and tested at Gateway last month in advance of his debut. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

FILE - Romain Grosjean, of Switzerland, talks with a crew member before a warm-up session for the IndyCar auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, in this Saturday, May 15, 2021, file photo. Former Formula One driver Romain Grosjean, who moved to IndyCar this year, decided to give it a try after watching the Indianapolis 500 on television and tested at Gateway last month in advance of his debut. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

Aug. 20, 2021 08:06 AM EDT
FILE - Alex Palou competes during an IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, in this Sunday, July 4, 2021, file photo. Only 62 points separate Palou and four other drivers with four races remaining and Palou was dealt his third pre-race penalty before he even arrived at Gateway. Honda has pulled the engine from Palou's car for a third time this season — twice this month — before a change was permitted under IndyCar rules. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar, File)

FILE - Alex Palou competes during an IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, in this Sunday, July 4, 2021, file photo. Only 62 points separate Palou and four other drivers with four races remaining and Palou was dealt his third pre-race penalty before he even arrived at Gateway. Honda has pulled the engine from Palou's car for a third time this season — twice this month — before a change was permitted under IndyCar rules. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar, File)

Aug. 20, 2021 08:04 AM EDT
FILE - Tony Kanaan competes during an IndyCar Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, in this Sunday, May 2, 2021, file photo. With nine career starts at Gateway, Kanaan has the most experience at the track of any driver in the field. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)

FILE - Tony Kanaan competes during an IndyCar Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, in this Sunday, May 2, 2021, file photo. With nine career starts at Gateway, Kanaan has the most experience at the track of any driver in the field. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)

Aug. 20, 2021 08:06 AM EDT
FILE - Pato O'Ward competes during an IndyCar Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, in this Sunday, May 2, 2021, file photo. O'Ward, like Alex Palou, a two-time winner this season, earned his first career victory in May at Texas Motor Speedway and the Mexican has not finished lower than fourth in three oval races this season. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)

FILE - Pato O'Ward competes during an IndyCar Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, in this Sunday, May 2, 2021, file photo. O'Ward, like Alex Palou, a two-time winner this season, earned his first career victory in May at Texas Motor Speedway and the Mexican has not finished lower than fourth in three oval races this season. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)

Aug. 20, 2021 08:05 AM EDT
FILE - Tony Kanaan gets ready to put on his helmet before the IndyCar Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas., in this Saturday, May 1, 2021, file photo. With nine career starts at Gateway, Kanaan has the most experience at the track of any driver in the field. “My last IndyCar race of the season, so kind of sad,” said Kanaan, who has a two-year deal to run the ovals for Ganassi. “But excited to go to St. Louis and get Ganassi and the 48 car a win.” (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)

FILE - Tony Kanaan gets ready to put on his helmet before the IndyCar Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas., in this Saturday, May 1, 2021, file photo. With nine career starts at Gateway, Kanaan has the most experience at the track of any driver in the field. “My last IndyCar race of the season, so kind of sad,” said Kanaan, who has a two-year deal to run the ovals for Ganassi. “But excited to go to St. Louis and get Ganassi and the 48 car a win.” (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)

Aug. 20, 2021 08:06 AM EDT
FILE - Pato O'Ward, of Mexico, smiles after winning the pole for the IndyCar auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, in this Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, file photo. O'Ward finished second and third at Gateway last season when IndyCar ran a doubleheader on the 1.25-mile oval, which he called his best weekend of 2020. He sliced Alex Palou's points lead in half last weekend and expects to pounce again Saturday night, Aug. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

FILE - Pato O'Ward, of Mexico, smiles after winning the pole for the IndyCar auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, in this Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, file photo. O'Ward finished second and third at Gateway last season when IndyCar ran a doubleheader on the 1.25-mile oval, which he called his best weekend of 2020. He sliced Alex Palou's points lead in half last weekend and expects to pounce again Saturday night, Aug. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

Aug. 20, 2021 08:05 AM EDT
FILE - Alex Palou smiles in victory lane after placing third in an IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, in this Sunday, July 4, 2021, file photo. IndyCar begins its final month of competition with a surprise new face trying to close out the championship. Palou takes a 21-point lead into Saturday night's race at World Wide Technology Raceway outside St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar, File)

FILE - Alex Palou smiles in victory lane after placing third in an IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, in this Sunday, July 4, 2021, file photo. IndyCar begins its final month of competition with a surprise new face trying to close out the championship. Palou takes a 21-point lead into Saturday night's race at World Wide Technology Raceway outside St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar, File)

Aug. 20, 2021 08:04 AM EDT