The first race of IndyCar’s double-header at Iowa Speedway was filled with action and surprises. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin secured his first-ever oval victory, edging out Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward by a slim margin of 0.4814 seconds. Meanwhile, points leader Alex Palou had a disastrous day, calling his performance “unacceptable” after stalling on pit road and crashing later in the race.
The race began with Colton Herta in the lead, but chaos ensued quickly with a multi-car crash in Turn 2. David Malukas made a critical error by putting his car’s tires on the white line, causing him to slide and collide with other cars. This crash involved Agustin Canapino and Romain Grosjean from Juncos Hollinger Racing. Christian Lundgaard also spun out and needed assistance to get back on track.
On the restart at lap 20, Herta managed to keep McLaughlin behind him for a while. Jack Harvey retired after just 29 laps due to severe neck and back pain, and Conor Daly was on standby to replace him for the next race.
A late call from Race Control gave Santino Ferrucci a stop-and-go penalty for getting out of line during the restart, dropping him to 22nd place. On lap 80, another caution came out when Graham Rahal’s car had a loose wheel. During the pit stops that followed, McLaughlin took the lead, while Palou stalled and fell to 19th. Ferrucci got back on the lead lap, and Josef Newgarden moved up to 10th from his starting position of 22nd.
As the race progressed, McLaughlin held his lead, despite Herta’s attempts to pass him. Will Power received a penalty for speeding in the pit lane, which dropped him to 20th place. At the halfway point, McLaughlin led Herta, Scott Dixon, O’Ward, and Alexander Rossi. Herta’s car then began to experience severe vibrations.
With 75 laps to go, Herta pitted from second place, but a caution came out as Palou spun and crashed. McLaughlin remained in the lead after the pit stops, with O’Ward and Dixon behind him. A great pit stop helped Newgarden move up to fourth place.
After a restart on lap 189, McLaughlin maintained his lead. VeeKay moved up by passing Armstrong, who dropped to seventh. With 50 laps to go, McLaughlin had a 0.9-second lead over O’Ward. Another caution occurred with 40 laps to go when Linus Lundqvist’s car needed to be towed off the track.
With 30 laps left, Ferrucci made a significant move from 11th to seventh. The race saw more cautions, including one where Ed Carpenter and Pietro Fittipaldi crashed. Will Power was penalized for causing this incident.
In the final 12 laps, Ferrucci moved up to sixth but couldn’t pass VeeKay. Newgarden advanced to third after overtaking Dixon but couldn’t catch O’Ward. McLaughlin held on to win the race.
McLaughlin credited his victory to his team’s excellent performance in the pits. “The XPEL Chevy was unreal,” he said. “The guys in the pits got me out front, and we just showed our pace. I’ve been working on this for a couple of years. It takes a lot of hard work.”
Josef Newgarden almost won his seventh race at Iowa Speedway, rising from 22nd to finish third, giving Team Penske two of the top three spots. Scott Dixon finished fourth, followed by Rinus VeeKay. Santino Ferrucci recovered from an early penalty to finish sixth, with Kyle Kirkwood in seventh. Alexander Rossi, Marcus Ericsson, and Marcus Armstrong rounded out the top 10.
McLaughlin’s win was all about smart strategy and seizing opportunities during the race. Early crashes and penalties shuffled the order, making it a race of survival and quick decisions. Palou’s struggles had a big impact on his championship lead, making the next race even more critical.
The opening race at Iowa Speedway was full of action and drama. McLaughlin’s victory showcased Team Penske’s skill, while Palou’s troubles added to the excitement of the championship race. The stage is set for another thrilling race, with drivers and teams ready to adjust their strategies and fight for every point.