![\"McLaughlin\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Scott-McLaughlin-Indianapolis-500-Practice-By_-Joe-Skibinski_Large-Image-Without-Watermark_m152734-c.jpeg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tScott McLaughlin during the 2026 Indianapolis 500. Image: Joe Skibinski<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tScott McLaughlin during the 2026 Indianapolis 500. Image: Joe Skibinski<\/p>\n
The three-time Supercars champion made the surprise move to IndyCar at the end of 2020, joining Team Penske in the single-seater series.<\/p>\n
McLaughlin enjoyed success in his second full-time season, winning multiple races and pole positions.<\/p>\n
Shane van Gisbergen<\/a> rose to the fore in Supercars following McLaughlin\u2019s exit, winning two titles on the bounce in 2021 and 2022.<\/p>\n Then the opportunity came to make a one-off start in the NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing and its Project91 program.<\/p>\n That springboarded him into a full-time drive, and several Supercars drivers have subsequently made NASCAR cameos \u2013 including Brodie Kostecki<\/a>, Will Brown<\/a> and Cam Waters.<\/p>\n The likes of Matt Payne<\/a> and Broc Feeney<\/a> have tried to pry the door open to NASCAR without success yet.<\/p>\n Speaking on Speed, McLaughlin said he would like to see Supercars drivers Stateside.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s funny, man. I had dinner with Shane the week of Chicago and I said \u2018You watch, you\u2019ll probably win this weekend and you\u2019ll be over here one day and it\u2019ll cause this while influx\u2019,\u201d said McLaughlin.<\/p>\n \u201cIt happened. He\u2019s done an amazing job in Cup and it\u2019s so cool to see. I knew he\u2019d love it here.<\/p>\n \u201cI think guys in the [Supercars] championship in Australia, they see a chance to come over here and experience a form of racing where you\u2019re racing every week and it\u2019s all over a part of the world you\u2019ve never been to, so it\u2019s exciting.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you\u2019ve just got to make sure that these guys that are coming over are getting the right opportunity and not putting themselves in with the wolves, because I tell you what, the Cup Series is tough.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we\u2019ve seen, Shane is a world-class driver but it\u2019s taken time and you need to have that backing from a team like Trackhouse has been for Shane. Me with Penske in IndyCar, it was a bit of a rollercoaster ride.\u201d<\/p>\n Feeney is thought to be the most likely candidate to make a start in 2027 with RFK Racing.<\/a><\/p>\n Waters and his Tickford Racing teammate Thomas Randle<\/a> have spent time with the NASCAR Cup Series team too, thanks in part to their relationship with synonymous sponsor Castrol.<\/p>\n