Had it not been for Team Penske’s push-to-pass scandal that rocked the IndyCar Series and negated a third-place finish in the St Petersburg season-opener, Scott McLaughlin could very well have been crowned champion. The 31-year-old New Zealand native was a force in 2024, with a season that elevated him to another level.
He netted three wins, equalling Team Penske team-mate Will Power and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward for most in the series, and also matched Power on a series-leading seven podiums.
But McLaughlin sat alone at the top in two other categories with 637 laps led and five pole positions – including the Indianapolis 500 – in a campaign that also featured a breakthrough oval victory at Iowa Speedway, backed up with another at Milwaukee just a month later.
If the podium at St Petersburg was upheld in combination with his results for the year, McLaughlin would have drawn level with Alex Palou at season’s end with 540 points and claimed the title via tiebreaker, by virtue of having more wins. He had to settle for third instead, yet McLaughlin could hold his head high.
But perhaps no display was more impressive than on the weekend the overtake penalty – which came 45 days later, heading into the third round at Barber Motorsports Park – was handed out.
Demonstrating immense mental fortitude, he blocked out the noise to claim pole en route to an authoritative victory. And there could be no further proof that McLaughlin’s transition from three-time Supercars champion to routine IndyCar title challenger has come full circle than breaking his oval racing duck.
“There’s room for improvement all the time,” McLaughlin reflected in the aftermath of his Iowa win. “I’m nowhere near a complete driver. I just feel like I’m an IndyCar driver now, or I’m proud to say that I am.
“Ultimately, everyone wants to win on an oval. It’s exhilarating, the most fun race tracks some days. You get a lot of enjoyment from oval racing. It’s the backbone of the sport.”
McLaughlin, who joined IndyCar full-time in 2021, has methodically improved with each passing year and has now earned three consecutive top-four finishes in the standings. It’s safe to say he’ll be one to watch for years to come.
