A New Chapter for Scott McLaughlin at the Indy 500
Scott McLaughlin is determined to rewrite his story at the Indianapolis 500. The Team Penske driver, known for his exceptional skills and fierce competitiveness, has faced a series of challenges in recent years that have tested his resolve. Last year’s race was particularly painful, with images of McLaughlin crouched beside his bright yellow car, head in his hands, capturing the raw emotion of a heartbreaking mistake.
McLaughlin spoke exclusively to Wide World of Sports ahead of the 2026 edition, expressing his determination to ensure he doesn’t repeat the same fate. “I wasted one away last year, in some ways,” he said. “I’m pretty hungry because at the end of the day, I felt like last year was one … we were really good and really strong. The car was great and fast, but just made a mistake and crashed out before I even got a chance to have a crack.”
Starting from Ninth: A Sign of Fate?
For the driver of the No.3 car, starting from ninth on the grid feels like a sign of destiny. The last Penske driver to win the Indy 500 with a number three on their cockpit was Brazilian Formula 1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi. “I think actually the last person who won from ninth was Emerson Fittipaldi and he won for Penske back in the day and … three threes equals nine and it’s all looking up, you know what I mean?”
McLaughlin emphasized that the car has been performing well, and he feels confident about the upcoming race. “I feel pretty good about everything. Look, I’ve got so much support from my team. You know, they’ve just been amazing throughout this last year and a bit. Honestly, it’s been a pretty tough slog, but we’ve had a lot of potential and at the end of the day, that’s the best thing for us right now.”
Superstitions and the Racing Gods
McLaughlin isn’t afraid to admit he’s superstitious. He believes in omens and the power of luck. “I would say I’m superstitious. I won’t go under a ladder or I won’t go under stairs … I try and keep my same routine and whatnot. I certainly believe this is a place that picks the winner. You can’t create it for yourself. You can have the fastest car, but there’s some bit of luck that comes into it and you create your own luck.”
He added, “And I feel like we’ve been really good to the gods lately and hopefully it works out.” For McLaughlin, a quick prayer or two might just be the extra edge he needs.
A Family Milestone
To mark Team Penske’s 60th anniversary, the organization shipped McLaughlin’s 2020 championship-winning Supercar from Australia to the IMS Museum in Indianapolis. For McLaughlin, introducing his one-year-old daughter, Lisa, to the car that defined his early career was an emotional milestone.
“It’s pretty emotional for my wife and I just to see her (Lisa) with that car and see her, being alongside it. It’s a big part of the reason why we’re here and why we are in a position we are today. It’s cool to see her next to it and see it and be a part of it, but trying to create new memories now for her and she’s American and you want to try and do my best job to win here in America.”
Challenges and Growth
The 2026 season has been a rollercoaster for Penske. McLaughlin had a huge crash in Barber but then was quickest in the ‘Fast Friday’ Indy 500 practice. “It’s been a lot more up and down than we wanted it to be. I think we’ve had really good speed and we’ve been fast a lot, but we just haven’t put it together,” he said.
His long-time race engineer, Ben Bretzman, was promoted to engineering manager of competition. In his place steps Raul Prados. “We’ve been gelling pretty well. At times – my new engineer, he’s Spanish and I’m a New Zealander, (we have a) very different way that we express things. That’s been an area that we’ve been trying to work on where my teammates have worked with engineers for a year and more, is something that I probably took for granted.”
A Growing Presence of Australian and New Zealand Drivers
McLaughlin’s journey is part of a larger exodus of Australian and New Zealand drivers making waves in American motorsport. He is joined on the IndyCar grid by Aussie veteran Will Power and fellow Kiwis Marcus Armstrong and Scott Dixon, while Shane van Gisbergen continues to tear up the NASCAR circuit.
“I think there’s a bit of intrigue obviously from America to see what Supercars is about, but I think vice versa as well. I don’t know. It’s all opportunity. I, first and foremost, I always wanted to be a Supercars driver. That was what I wanted to be. I wanted to win a championship. I wanted to win Bathurst, but for me personally at the time, I badly wanted to just challenge myself to ‘what’s the next thing, what can I achieve outside of Australia, New Zealand?’”
Traditions and Passion
Having already conquered the Bathurst 1000, McLaughlin admitted that both of motorsport’s crown jewel events are steeped in tradition and passionate fans. “Oh, it’s awesome. This race has been going on for over 100 years. It’s 110th running and I’ve met a fan … it was the 74th time that he’s been at the Indy 500. So it’s crazy to think about that.”
McLaughlin expressed his admiration for the traditions surrounding the race. “The people that have been here for so long. It’s such a tradition between families and generations. And it’s really, really cool. We have a separate weekend purely for qualifying here in America with Indy 500. I feel like at Bathurst, we could do that as well. A lot of it is crammed in four days.”
A Dream to Fulfill
McLaughlin’s ultimate goal is to win the Indy 500 and experience the feeling of victory once again. “I would love to do that here in America and feel that feeling again, because the feeling never gets old.” With his team behind him, his family by his side, and a renewed sense of purpose, McLaughlin is ready to make history.
