Scott Mclaughlin has successfully run 68 races throughout five years, but Team Penske’s top dog is itching to take things up a notch. The 31-year-old New Zealander has gained seven wins, 19 podiums, and nine poles over his career in the NTT IndyCar Series and landed an equally impressive fifth-place finish at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. This also secured him his second third in points finish in a row. However, his unwavering desire to do more in the sport has left him feeling like he hasn’t yet reached his full potential.
Mclaughlin hopes to exceed expectations next season, and he’s already preparing himself for what he needs to do to win more championships. The top contender for Penske right now is Josef Newgarden, who holds six total wins compared to McLaughlin’s four and rising contender Will Power’s three. Plenty of competition surrounds him from every angle, which is precisely why he knows he needs to turn up the heat.
Why Scott McLaughlin Is Ready
Last season, Scott McLaughlin won the NTT P1 Award in the Firestone Fast Six, a qualifying procedure that allows a driver six minutes of promised green flag track time. Once the driver completes each qualifying session, they’ll be ranked 1-6 amongst competing contenders. McLaughlin qualified for this in what happened to be the 108th Indianapolis 500, presented by Gainbridge on May 19. This was a massive moment for Scott McLaughlin because it was the first pole of his career and the fastest four-lap.
Scott McLaughlin’s strategy since the start of his stint with IndyCar was to improve each year, and he’s done just that. He ended the 2021 season with a 14th place points finish but gradually improved in 2022, landing him in a 4th place points finish and on to third the following year, something he knew he could achieve if he focused more on ovals. “We’re close, but we’re just not there,” he said. “We’re very good and have a mad dog fan base like them, too.”
Where He Stands Going Into Next Season
Regarding the 2025 season, Scott McLaughlin is more ready than ever to get behind the wheel and perhaps even bring Team Penske an Indy 500 championship win. McLaughlin is sure he can make it happen. After all, he’s earned 26 top ten finishes and has led 746 laps compared to Josef Newgarden’s 19 top ten finishes and 739 laps led, and Will Power’s 22 and 547 laps.
Scott McLaughlin also acquired seven NTT P1 awards, contrasting with both teammates, who earned two. He won on an oval track while racing in IndyCar this past July at Newton, Iowa’s famed Iowa Speedway, which also hosts NASCAR races. He knows he can clinch a similar victory at Indy, so his focus will likely be on more oval wins next season.
“I knew I could do it,” he said. “It’s the matter of putting it together. I’m lucky that I’ve got the car that I can just to put it together, but I feel like me and Ben Bretzman have really worked out making things simple and working on what works for me and just keeping a very consistent race package and feeling of the car,” he added.
Final Thoughts
Scott McLaughlin feels he doesn’t quite match up with a few of his notable teammates like Josef Newgarden and Will Power, who have won the Astor Cup Challenge twice during their stint with Team Penske. Achieving this is large on his to-do list moving forward. He knows he can help the team rise above being No. 3 by becoming hyper-focused on more victories and improving his speed, even though he’s been successful already and ended the 2024 season on September 15 with an impressive fifth-place finish.
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