Scott McLaughlin ends two-year IndyCar drought with Laguna Seca victory
Scott McLaughlin ended a two-year, 35-race win drought with victory in the IndyCar season finale at Laguna Seca. After starting on pole in the #3 Team Penske Chevrolet, the 33-year-old New Zealander remained in control throughout the 95-lap contest en route to a 1.3739s victory over Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood on the 11-turn, 2.238-mile natural terrain road course. ECR’s Alexander ... Keep…
Tymek Kucharczyk secured victory in the second leg of the Indy NXT season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, while Nikita Johnson clinched the championship title. Driving the #71 HMD Motorsports entry, Kucharczyk maintained an unassailable lead throughout all 30 laps, finishing with a commanding margin of 6.5765 seconds ahead of Johnson.
The Polish racer, who achieved his second win of the season, expressed his pride in the team's performance and the car's outstanding condition. Meanwhile, Johnson, starting fifth in the Cape Motorsports (ECR) entry, overcame early race drama after dodging a crash at the green flag. Despite facing challenges in the lead, Johnson ended the season on a high note, securing two wins, nine podium finishes, and a top-10 finish in each of the 18 races.
Enzo Fittipaldi (HMD Motorsports) secured the third podium position, while Lochie Hughes (Andretti Global) claimed the final spot on the podium. As Johnson's primary title challenger, Fittipaldi mounted a comeback from 12th on the grid, but ultimately finished fifth and 29 points behind Johnson in the championship standings.
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- Final 2026 IndyCar championship standings after Laguna Seca motorsport.com
