{"id":26707,"date":"2025-07-28T05:06:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T05:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/26707\/"},"modified":"2025-07-28T05:06:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T05:06:09","slug":"top-10-indycar-finishes-for-power-mclaughlin-at-laguna-seca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/26707\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 IndyCar finishes for Power, McLaughlin at Laguna Seca"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Top
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWill Power at Laguna Seca. Image: Joe Skibinski<\/p>\n

It was a relatively quiet day for the Team Penske trio. Power started fifth but was overhauled by Chip Ganassi Racing\u2019s Scott Dixon who aced his strategy to surge from 19th to fifth. Prema Racing\u2019s Callum Ilott was another surprise packet from 24th, finishing sixth.<\/p>\n

McLaughlin started 13th and couldn\u2019t make much headway in the race. Teammate Josef Newgarden started strong in fourth but fell to 11th.<\/p>\n

Palou, meanwhile, led 84 laps of the 95-lap distance from pole position to take a step closer to clinching the IndyCar Series title.<\/p>\n

With victory, the Spaniard moved to 589 points to go 120 points clear of nearest rival Pato O\u2019Ward.<\/p>\n

Just three races remain in the series across Portland, Milwaukee, and Nashville. There\u2019s every chance the Chip Ganassi Racing driver takes the title with two races to spare.<\/p>\n

Palou\u2019s success accounts for more than half of the race wins this year. Victory in Laguna Seca marked his eighth win from 14 races.<\/p>\n

\t\tWATCH: Supercars stars in Supercheap Auto \u2018Police Chase\u2019 Click here<\/a> <\/p>\n

The record for the most wins in a season stands at 10, which is shared by AJ Foyt (1964) and All Unser (1970). Mario Andretti has the second-most with nine wins in 1969.<\/p>\n

The race was a trouble-free one for Palou, who only lost the lead when he came to the pits.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been an awesome weekend, an awesome year. Today was something else,\u201d Palou said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s super fun to be here \u2013 one of my favorite tracks for sure. I couldn\u2019t be happier right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was not easy. We had to push; we had to try to be ready for those (late caution periods).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew that we were not on the (freshest) of tyres \u2026 but luckily we had enough pace to open a small gap and get the win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christian Lundgaard was second in the leading McLaren ahead of Andretti Global\u2019s Colton Herta.<\/p>\n

Despite a controlled effort by Palou, the race wasn\u2019t without drama.<\/p>\n

Early trouble for Kyffin Simpson and Felix Rosenqvist. pic.twitter.com\/ahX7affKEm<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) July 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Conor Daly and Robert Shwartzman speared off at Turn 3 on the first lap. The race stayed green as they recovered, but just moments later there was carnage when Kyffin Simpson rear-ended Felix Rosenqvist.<\/p>\n

Simpson speared into the concrete wall while Rosenqvist went spinning through the gravel trap. Simpson\u2019s #8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda was retired while Rosenqvist returned to the race, albeit several laps down in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda.<\/p>\n

Racing resumed on Lap 6 with Palou ahead of Herta, O\u2019Ward, Josef Newgarden and Will Power. Scott McLaughlin, meanwhile, was 12th.<\/p>\n

The second Safety Car was drawn on Lap 11 when Dale Coyne Racing\u2019s Jacob Abel suffered a brake failure and parked in the tyres at Turn 1.<\/p>\n

The incident between Kyle Kirkwood and Rinus VeeKay. pic.twitter.com\/ahBOF9B6DN<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) July 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Kyle Kirkwood ended whatever slim hopes he had of winning the title when he rear-ended Rinus VeeKay in the #18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda on Lap 25 and speared him into the Turn 2 gravel trap. The #27 Andretti Global driver was given a drive-through penalty for the incident and wound up finishing 16th while VeeKay was 23rd.<\/p>\n

There was a lengthy green flag run until Lap 77 when Marcus Ericsson spun between Turn 6 and Turn 7 up the Rahal Straight and parked. There was a lengthy wait before the yellow flag was drawn for the stranded #28 Andretti Global machine.<\/p>\n

The yellow cut Palou\u2019s sizeable advantage to just a car length, but he need not worry with so much more pace than his nearest rivals.<\/p>\n

Under caution for Marcus Ericsson. pic.twitter.com\/kCltpsG5md<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) July 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Santino Ferrucci brought out the final caution with 11 laps to go when he spun into the Corkscrew in the #14 AJ Foyt Racing car.<\/p>\n

All told, Palou won by 3.7s over Lundgaard while Herta completed the podium.<\/p>\n

IndyCar takes a one-week break before returning for three rounds in a row, beginning at Portland on Monday, August 11 (AEST).<\/p>\n

Results: IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Monterey, Laguna Seca<\/p>\n

Pos
\nNum
\nDriver
\nTeam
\nEngine
\nLaps\/Diff
\nGap<\/p>\n

1
\n10
\nAlex Palou
\nChip Ganassi Racing
\nHonda
\n95 laps<\/p>\n

2
\n7
\nChristian Lundgaard
\nArrow McLaren
\nChevy
\n3.7965
\n3.7965<\/p>\n

3
\n26
\nColton Herta
\nAndretti Global w\/Curb\u2011Agajanian
\nHonda
\n4.6340
\n0.8375<\/p>\n

4
\n5
\nPato O\u2019Ward
\nArrow McLaren
\nChevy
\n6.6484
\n2.0144<\/p>\n

5
\n9
\nScott Dixon
\nChip Ganassi Racing
\nHonda
\n7.3422
\n0.6938<\/p>\n

6
\n90
\nCallum Ilott
\nPrema Racing
\nChevy
\n8.9243
\n1.5821<\/p>\n

7
\n12
\nWill Power
\nTeam Penske
\nChevy
\n11.5298
\n2.6055<\/p>\n

8
\n66
\nMarcus Armstrong
\nMeyer Shank Racing
\nHonda
\n13.0055
\n1.4757<\/p>\n

9
\n21
\nChristian Rasmussen
\nEd Carpenter Racing
\nChevy
\n14.0988
\n1.0933<\/p>\n

10
\n3
\nScott McLaughlin
\nTeam Penske
\nChevy
\n14.5960
\n0.4972<\/p>\n

11
\n2
\nJosef Newgarden
\nTeam Penske
\nChevy
\n15.2224
\n0.6264<\/p>\n

12
\n15
\nGraham Rahal
\nRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
\nHonda
\n16.5256
\n1.3032<\/p>\n

13
\n4
\nDavid Malukas
\nAJ Foyt Enterprises
\nChevy
\n16.9614
\n0.4358<\/p>\n

14
\n76
\nConor Daly
\nJuncos Hollinger Racing
\nChevy
\n17.8336
\n0.8722<\/p>\n

15
\n20
\nAlexander Rossi
\nEd Carpenter Racing
\nChevy
\n19.1194
\n1.2858<\/p>\n

16
\n27
\nKyle Kirkwood
\nAndretti Global
\nHonda
\n19.7294
\n0.6100<\/p>\n

17
\n45
\nLouis Foster
\nRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
\nHonda
\n21.5898
\n1.8604<\/p>\n

18
\n6
\nNolan Siegel
\nArrow McLaren
\nChevy
\n29.3009
\n7.7111<\/p>\n

19
\n77
\nSting Ray Robb
\nJuncos Hollinger Racing
\nChevy
\n30.4964
\n1.1955<\/p>\n

20
\n30
\nDevlin DeFrancesco
\nRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
\nHonda
\n1 lap
\n67.4829<\/p>\n

21
\n83
\nRobert Shwartzman
\nPrema Racing
\nChevy
\n1 lap
\n6.5582<\/p>\n

22
\n14
\nSantino Ferrucci
\nAJ Foyt Enterprises
\nChevy
\n1 lap
\n25.2457<\/p>\n

23
\n18
\nRinus Veekay
\nDale Coyne Racing
\nHonda
\n3 laps
\n1 lap<\/p>\n

24
\n60
\nFelix Rosenqvist
\nMeyer Shank Racing
\nHonda
\n4 laps
\n68.0336<\/p>\n

25
\n28
\nMarcus Ericsson
\nAndretti Global
\nHonda
\nLap 78
\n2 laps<\/p>\n

26
\n51
\nJacob Abel
\nDale Coyne Racing
\nHonda
\nLap 10
\n0.6654<\/p>\n

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