Scott McLaughlin secured a straightforward victory from pole at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, capturing his first IndyCar win since 2024. Meanwhile, Alex Palou completed his championship-winning campaign in eighth place as the NTT IndyCar Series closed out its season.
The IndyCar Season is officially coming to a close with one of the most iconic tracks in the United States… and some would say, the world. While Alex Palou was already crowned champion last week in Milwaukee, winning at this track is an accomplishment in its own.
Earlier this week, the corkscrew part of the track that has made Laguna Seca so famous was renamed in honor of the late Alex Zanardi – a Chip Ganassi driver and two-time CART (IndyCar) Champion. It is fate that Palou, a 5-time champion, has run his iconic livery throughout the weekend.
As for the rest of the grid, this race signifies endings and new beginnings. Scott Dixon moving from Chip Ganassi to McLaren. Felix Rosenqvist leaving Meyer Shank for McLaren. Lundgaard leaving McLaren for (likely) Chip Ganassi. Mick Schumacher being promoted to Meyer Shank, and so much more yet to come in the offseason.
The NTT IndyCar Series season officially drew to a close at one of the sport’s most iconic road courses, bringing a mix of dominant drives, hard-fought championship battles, and massive offseason driver movement.
Scott McLaughlin Dominates From Pole at Laguna Seca
The Kiwi driver executed a clean, straightforward race to claim his eighth career IndyCar win and his first triumph since taking the checkers at the Milwaukee Mile during the 2024 season, a welcome sight for the ‘thirsty 3’s’ and his crew chief, Tim Cindric.
The race ran remarkably clean across the 25-car grid. Out of 22 of 25 starters that finished the race on the lead lap, only a single caution period interrupted the afternoon when Dennis Hauger crashed into the barrier following contact from Sting Ray Robb, marking the sole full-course caution and DNF of the event.
Championship Battles Settle Behind Palou
While McLaughlin collected the trophy, the intense action unfolded further back as drivers fought for final series standings. Kirkwood, Lundgaard, and O’Ward entered the Laguna Seca weekend only separated by four points, with Malukas only 19 points behind.
Kyle Kirkwood drove his Andretti entry to a stellar second-place finish, a performance that cemented his runner-up position in the final IndyCar Championship standings. Similarly, Lundgaard’s 6th-place finish secured him 3rd place – his highest championship position to date. Pato O’Ward and David Malukas rounded out the top five in the final points tally.
For newly crowned champion Alex Palou, the race presented unexpected hurdles. Starting the race in second place, Palou fell as far back as 22nd after just one pit cycle due to switching onto double-used red tires. He had already secured his title, but a win around his favorite track would have been a perfect bow on another incredible season for the 10 crew. He fought his way back through heavy traffic to finish in 8th, putting a hard-akh-fought exclamation point on his championship run.
Alexander Rossi and ECR Deliver the Podium Shock
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the afternoon belonged to Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR). The real shock on the podium was the ECR of Alexander Rossi in 3rd place. ECR has had one of the most difficult seasons as a team out of the entire IndyCar grid, where in more than half of the races, at least one of their two cars has not finished. This is Rossi’s first podium since 2024 at Laguna Seca, when he was still racing for Arrow McLaren.
The Offseason Grid Shakeup Begins
With the 2026 checkered flag waved, attention immediately pivots to a massive driver market overhaul. Major personnel shifts define the winter months, including Scott Dixon moving from Chip Ganassi to McLaren, and Felix Rosenqvist leaving Meyer Shank for McLaren. Other high-profile moves include Lundgaard leaving McLaren for (likely) Chip Ganassi and Mick Schumacher being promoted to Meyer Shank, setting the stage for an unpredictable grid when the NTT INDYCAR Series will return in February 2027 in St Petersburg, Florida on Fox Sports.
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