McLaughlin’s long wait ends in style at Laguna Seca

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What a way to end the season.

After 36 races without a victory, Scott McLaughlin finally broke the drought in emphatic fashion at Laguna Seca, dominating the Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey to bring the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series to a spectacular close.

Starting from pole in the No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevrolet, McLaughlin was in a class of his own around the legendary 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course. He led 87 of 95 laps, surrendered the top spot only during pit-stop sequences, and ultimately crossed the finish line 1.3739 seconds clear of Kyle Kirkwood.

It was McLaughlin’s eighth career IndyCar victory and his first since September 2024 at the Milwaukee Mile. But this one carried an extra dose of emotion.

His daughter Lucy, born just weeks after his previous victory, had never seen her father win a race. That changed at Laguna Seca.

“My little girl (Lucy, born in October 2024) hasn’t seen me win yet, and now she has,” McLaughlin said. “So, Dad’s coming home with a trophy, baby. Let’s go!”

Behind him, Kirkwood delivered another impressive performance, charging from sixth on the grid to finish second and secure his best-ever championship result.

The Andretti Global driver admitted he had deliberately avoided taking unnecessary risks, knowing that second place was enough to secure his runner-up position in the standings.

“Second in the championship, and that’s my best road-course finish,” Kirkwood said. “We just played it super clean, super methodical.”

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Alexander Rossi completed the podium in third for ECR, ending a difficult season on a particularly sweet note with his first podium since this same Laguna Seca event in 2024.

“I don’t think I could state the significance of it just with how challenging this year has been for the whole organization,” Rossi said.

While the championship had already been wrapped up by Alex Palou at Milwaukee, the reigning king still celebrated a fifth title before finishing eighth at Laguna Seca.

For McLaughlin, however, this was his moment. After months of near misses and six podiums without a win, he finally had the trophy – and a perfect springboard into 2027.

“We had to be solid,” McLaughlin said. “That’s what it’s going to take to win a championship. What a great warmup we had. Bring on 2027.”

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.