The IndyCar Series races on the Mid-Ohio sports car course in Lexington, Ohio on Sunday, July 7, 2024. The course for the 80-lap race features 13 turns over 2.258 miles.

Alex Palou is threatening to put himself on track for a second straight runaway series championship as he starts from the pole position. IndyCar is debuting its hybrid engine this weekend. Three drivers will start behind their qualifying positions after making an unapproved engine change for the weekend.

'Combatting the change': How introduction of hybrid will (and won't) change IndyCar in 2024

Pato O'Ward wins the IndyCar Series Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio

Pato O'Ward outduels pole-sitter Alex Palou over the closing stint to post his first win of the season on the track. (He won the season opener after Josef Newgarden was disqualified.) The victory margin is less than one-half second.

Scott McLaughlin finishes 3rd, 15 seconds behind the leaders.

With Will Power and Scott Dixon struggling mightily, Palou extends his series points lead.

IndyCar results from Mid-Ohio

1. Pato O'Ward

2. Alex Palou

3. Scott McLaughlin

4. Colton Herta

5. Marcus Ericsson

6. Alexander Rossi

7. Christian Lundgaard

8. Kyle Kirkwood

9. Christian Rasmussen

10. Santino Ferrucci

11. Will Power

12. David Malukas

13. Toby Sowery

14. Felix Rosenqvist

15. Linus Lundqvist

16. Sting Ray Robb

17. Marcus Armstrong

18. Graham Rahal

19. Rinus VeeKay

20. Nolan Siegel

21. Kyffin Simpson

22. Agustin Canapino

23. Romain Grosjean

24. Pietro Fittipaldi

25. Josef Newgarden

26. Jack Harvey

27. Scott Dixon

IndyCar Series race Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio

Lap 75: Pato O'Ward remains narrowly ahead of Alex Palou. Almost one full lap down, Kyffin Simpson and Agustin Canapino are just ahead of those two. Simpson is a Ganassi teammate of Palou.

Lap 70: Pato O'Ward is 1 second ahead of Alex Palou. Palou won pole position on Saturday over O'Ward by the narrowest margin in modern series history. Josef Newgarden, who had run in 5th place, heads off track, then suffers two pit road penalties.

Lap 60: Pato O'Ward leads Alex Palou as both deal with lapped traffic. Palou has slightly more push-to-pass available for the closing stretch. Scott McLaughlin is 3rd.

Lap 55-56: Alex Palou makes his final pit stop and has a glitch, allowing Pato O'Ward − who had pitted one lap earlier − to overtake him for the effective lead. Scott McLaughlin stays on track and is shown in 1st.

Lap 50: Status quo up front, as Alex Palou leads Pato O'Ward by 2+ seconds. Scott McLaughlin is another 2 seconds behind.

Lap 40: Halfway through the race. No cautions after the opening 2 laps. Alex Palou had led by 5+ seconds, but he's fighting the back of the field and the advantage is down to 2+ seconds. Rest of the top 10: Pato O'Ward, Scott McLaughlin, Colton Herta, Marcus Ericsson, Christian Rasmussen, Linus Lundqvist, Christian Lundgaard, Alexander Rossi, Kyle Kirkwood.

Lap 31: Scott McLaughlin pits, and returns to the track in 3rd place. Alex Palou and Pato O'Ward are 1-2.

Lap 30: Scott McLaughlin remains on track before pitting and leads. Behind him, Alex Palou has a 6-second edge on Pato O'Ward.

Lap 28-29 pit stops: Alex Palou and Pato O'Ward have average pit stops. David Malukas stalls during his pit stop.

Lap 22: Scott Dixon's crew figures out something, and he's back on track, 21 laps down.

Lap 20: Top 5 remain the same, and Alex Palou leads by 5+ seconds. Signs of tire degradation appear on the left front tire for many drivers.

Lap 10: Alex Palou is already up 3+ seconds on Pato O'Ward. David Malukas, Colton and Scott McLaughlin round out the top 5.

Lap 3: It's a "restart" but with a double-file formation as if it's Lap 1. The top 4 qualifiers hold their positions, and Alex Palou's lead is already about 1 second.

Lap 1: Scott Dixon stalls on track during the pace lap and needs to pull off the track. The race begins under caution.

Dawand Jones gives command to start engines

He is a Cleveland Browns offensive lineman, and an alum of Ohio State and Ben Davis High School.

IndyCar qualifying results for the Honda Indy 200

*-For undergoing an unapproved engine change by moving to their fifth of the year, Marcus Armstrong, Felix Rosenqvist and Pietro Fittipaldi will drop six spots on the grid from this qualifying position.

1. Alex Palou

2. Pato O’Ward

3. David Malukas

4. Colton Herta

5. *-Marcus Armstrong

6. Marcus Ericsson

7. Scott McLaughlin

8. Alexander Rossi

9. Christian Rasmussen

10. Christian Lundgaard

11. Linus Lundqvist

12. Romain Grosjean

13. *-Felix Rosenqvist

14. Scott Dixon

15. Kyle Kirkwood

16. Will Power

17. Nolan Siegel

18. Josef Newgarden

19. Graham Rahal

20. Rinus VeeKay

21. Santino Ferrucci

22. Agustin Canapino

23. *-Pietro Fittipaldi

24. Kyffin Simpson

25. Toby Sowery

26. Sting Ray Robb

27. Jack Harvey

What to know: After nearly five years, it's arrived: Explaining IndyCar's new hybrid system

When is the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio?

1:53 p.m. ET Sunday, July 7, 2024, scheduled green flag.

What channel is IndyCar at Mid-Ohio on?

TV: NBC

Streaming: Peacock, SiriusXM Channel 218, Fubo (free trial)

Radio: IndyCar Radio Network

IndyCar 2024 schedule

(Times are ET for TV coverage)

IndyCar Series points standings

(Through June 23)

1. Alex Palou, 285

2. Will Power, 262

3. Scott Dixon, 253

4. Colton Herta, 217

5. Kyle Kirkwood, 210

6. Pato O'Ward, 208

7. Alexander Rossi, 198

8. Scott McLaughlin, 188

9. Josef Newgarden, 181

10. Felix Rosenqvist, 176

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pato O'Ward holds off Alex Palou, IndyCar Honda Indy 200 final results