Another Aussie headed to Indycar

[220]

Penske confirmed Scott McLaughlin will race in the season final at St Petersburg.
McLaughlin wrapped up his third consecutive tittle for DJR/Penske yesterday in the Aussie V8 supercars championship ahead of the biggest race of the year in 3 weeks time the 1000km Bathurst event.
Most would think a switch to nascar as Marcus Ambrose made would be the logical move but Penske are determined to get the 27YO into a Indycar.
He impressed Penske enough in a private indy test they entered him in the preseason test at COTA back in Feb where he posted the 3rd quickest time.
The plan was for him to make his Indy debut back in June but covid has delayed it until the season finale.

[JEBar]

interesting .... I've never followed open wheel racing but McLaughlin is a name that rings a bell .... any word on when they may run Indy

[Sir Henry]

Not sure on the Indy but it should be soon.

[markiver54]

Should be interesting. keep us informed please.

[220]

Technically he is a kiwi but has been racing and winning is Aus for over a decade, married to a American so I guess if he starts winning in Indy everyone will have a claim on him but it should be a fun ride to watch starting this weekend.

Here is a bit more info on him and what he has done so far in Aus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg5MsNIUIvk

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Penske confirmed McLaughlin will be driving full time next season.
Not a great qualifying for him but practice showed why Penske rate him so highly. McLaughlin was 10th with the other Penske cars 8th 9th and 18th. Newgarden was the fastest of the Penske drivers in practice and McLaughlin was less than 0.06 seconds slower.

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McLaughlin is showing why Penske was so keen to get him to the USA and in a Indycar.
14th 11th 2nd 8th & 8th in the first 5 races sitting 8th in the championship between Penske team mates and former series champions Pagenaud and Power.
The 2nd place at Texas was his very first race on a oval track, crazy, not only is he a rookie to Indy but never raced a oval and very nearly won. Even crazier when you consider most other rookies arent even contesting the oval races and that includes 7 times nascar champ Jimmie Johnson who has races millions of miles on ovals.
When Penske decided McLaughlins future was in Indy he said he expected him to be fighting for race wins his first season and the championship by his second. Looks like Roger knew what he was talking about.

[JEBar]

my life long interest in NASCAR has plummeted to the point I didn't know Jimmy Johnson was driving an Indy car .... I looked it up and he's finished 19th and 22nd in the two races in which he's competed

[Vaquero]

Well Penske, has more wins at the Indy 500 than any other car owner.
So I will assume he knows a little bit about drivers.

RP

[220]

Well no race wins for McLaughlin in his rookie season with a best finish of 2nd.
He did win rookie of the year and finished 14th in the standings

Could not have started the 2022 season any better after claiming his first pole for the season opener at St Pete

[220]

Well he continued his perfect start to the season by winning the race.
Last 3 years the series champ has won the opening round.
Penske did say they expected him to compete for race wins in his first season and the championship in his second looks like he was on the money.

Makes a interesting comparison to Jimmy Johnson, both came out of tin top racing as multiple time champions with no experience in open wheel racing. JJ finished 23rd and had a best finish of 17th last season.

[BigAl52]

AJ Foyt, Andy Granatelli, The Unsers, and Allisons, Lost interest after those guys.

[Vaquero]

AJ Foyt, Andy Granatelli, The Unsers, and Allisons, Lost interest after those guys.

Ya left out Mario.

RP

[BigAl52]

AJ Foyt, Andy Granatelli, The Unsers, and Allisons, Lost interest after those guys.

Ya left out Mario.

RP

And Mario

[220]

After leading over 180 laps McLaughlin was passed out of the last corner and beaten to the flag by team mate Newgarden in Texas.
JJ found some pace to post his first top 10 with a 6th place finish.

[220]

With one race to go Mclaughlin is still in with a shot all be it a long one of winning the tittle. Win number 3 for the season saw him reduce the margin to team mate Power to 41 points.
Penske have dominated the season taking 9 of the 16 race wins Power leads by 20 points from Newgarden and Dixon despite only claiming 1 win to Newgardens 5 and Dixons 2, Ericsson is 39 behind with 1 win for the season and McLaughlin 5th 41 down with 3 wins.

Despite being a US series it has a real international field of drivers Power is a Aussie, Dixon a Kiwi, Newgarden is the only American in the running with Ericsson being Swedish and McLaughlin being claimed by both the Kiwis and Aussies.

[Rifletom]

How about Rick Mears? One of the best damn drivers I've ever seen in Indy cars. Another Pensky guy.

[220]

How about Rick Mears? One of the best damn drivers I've ever seen in Indy cars. Another Pensky guy.

Mear's is who Rodger Penske compared McLaughlin to years before he had even sat in a Indy car.

[220]

Power claimed the tittle and did everything he needed to win it.
Broke Mario's record for pole positions in claiming the number one spot in qualifying then finished 3rd in the race. 3rd guaranteed him the championship regardless of where the other drivers finished.
Newgarden was impressive coming from the back of the grid to 2nd but it wasnt enough. McLaughlin finished 6th to rise to 4th in the championship. Interestingly he actually scored more points in the second half of the season than any other driver and will be a real threat next season.

In the end we have a Aussie winning the tittle a Kiwi in 3rd and McLaughlin 4th not bad considering they are the only 3 from down here in the championship.

[Hatchdog]

What about Tom Sneva? Nobody mentioned Tom Sneva…..

As a kid I grew up watching Tom running modifies out at the now long gone Spokane Fairgrounds Speedway. He dominated there and in fact did win the Indy 500 in the early 80’s. I believe he was season champion a time or two and was the first Indy driver to break 200 mph.

Ya, I’m a home boy.