No. 3 PPG Dallara/Chevrolet – Scott McLaughlin
Start: 15th
Finish: 2nd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 212/212
Laps Led: 0
Points Position: 6th (-43 pts)
Rookie Scott McLaughlin impressed the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock and fans alike on Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway. McLaughlin scored his first career INDYCAR podium with a brilliant runner-up finish behind the wheel of the No. 3 PPG Dallara/Chevrolet in his oval track debut.
Wet weather canceled qualifying for Saturday night’s 212-lap event, as the starting lineup was set by point standings. That left McLaughlin starting in the middle of the pack – in 15th place – for his first-ever INDYCAR SERIES oval race.
At the start of the race, track position proved to be important as dirty air hindered competitors from moving forward, so McLaughlin ran steadily in 15th position early on. A caution flag just before the first round of pit stops helped McLaughlin gain some track position as the PPG Chevy team helped their driver restart in sixth position less than 100 laps into the race.
The No. 3 team continued to give McLaughlin great stops all night, and the strategy to undercut the field during green-flag pit stops allowed the rookie to gain tremendous track position. By lap 150, McLaughlin was running third on the track and he moved up to second place following the final pit stop.
Over the course of the final 30 laps, McLaughlin continued to close in on leader Scott Dixon and got within three-tenths-of-a-second of the reigning series champion as the laps wound down.
On the white flag lap, McLaughlin got to the rear of Dixon’s car, but didn’t have enough to pass his fellow New Zealand racer. McLaughlin took the checkered flag in second place for the first podium result of his four-race INDYCAR SERIES career. The finish propelled McLaughlin from 15th to sixth in the series point standings.
Quote: “I’ve never been so happy to finish second in all my life. Thanks to PPG, Chevy and the team. I couldn’t quite get Scott at the end there. But I tell you what, it was bloody cool battling with my all-time favorite hero – Scotty Dixon. Two Kiwis 1 and 2 is fantastic. My mom and dad are watching at home I know for sure, and unfortunately my wife Carly said if I go good this weekend she was going to give me a slap across the face and I went good, so I’m sorry babe, that’s how it is! I’m just so proud. We’ve done the work and I’ve worked really hard behind the scenes to make the car feel good and we got good strategy from my team. They put me in the position and I’m really just happy to bring it home for them.”
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
