After receiving criticism following practice and qualifying, including from pole winner Alex Palou saying it was “too tight” and too short” for IndyCars, the post-race opinion had mellowed towards the 1.645-mile layout.
“It was a really fun race,” said Palou. “It was a lot better than I expected. We had a lot more grip today than what we did [before]. I think the track evolved a lot during the weekend.
“Hopefully we can tweak some stuff and make it even better for next year.”
Palou reckoned that a full support race package, which included Indy NXT, Trans-Am and IMSA Pilot Challenge GS machinery, helped the racing surface evolve through the weekend.
“The track kept evolving with our sessions and with other series,” he said. “You could see the driving lane, it was black, all full of rubber.
“That allowed for some more overtaking. I was able to pass some cars that were a lap down or on the back. I was able to pass Will [Power]. He was able to pass me, as well.
“I thought there was going to be zero passes, honestly, without a crash. Obviously, we had quite a lot of yellows, but everywhere you go, if there's a street course, you're going to have a lot of drama.”
Source: Autosport