The final race of the 2026 season took place at Laguna Seca on Sunday, with a field of 25 IndyCar drivers looking to make a statement that will last all offseason.
Dominating the race, Scott McLaughlin cruised to victory. He led 87 of the 95 laps, and completed celebratory donuts on the front straight after earning his first win of the season.
Kyle Kirkwood finished second, securing second in the points standings as well. Alexander Rossi rounded out the podium, making a statement after a trying year.
READ MORE: IndyCar Laguna Seca – Full Race Report
The previously-crowned champion Alex Palou struggled for grip in the finale, and drifted down to eighth before the race was through.
There was only one caution, which happened on the first lap. Sting Ray Robb got into the back of Dennis Hauger, and the rookie was spun into the wall. Hauger still won the Rookie of the Year title based on how others finished.
After a grueling back to back run to end the season that lasted over a month, drivers now have a long season ahead to recover. They will be back on track in early March in St. Petersburg.
| # | Driver | Time / Gap | Laps Led | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott McLaughlin | 1:59:29.6163 | 87 | 54 |
| 2 | Kyle Kirkwood | 1.3739 | — | 40 |
| 3 | Alexander Rossi | 2.8108 | 4 | 36 |
| 4 | Felix Rosenqvist | 5.2886 | 2 | 33 |
| 5 | David Malukas | 14.5880 | — | 30 |
| 6 | Christian Lundgaard | 16.5000 | — | 28 |
| 7 | Marcus Armstrong | 21.8125 | 2 | 27 |
| 8 | Alex Palou | 28.0442 | — | 24 |
| 9 | Marcus Ericsson | 40.2262 | — | 22 |
| 10 | Kyffin Simpson | 40.7676 | — | 20 |
| 11 | Pato O’Ward | 43.0208 | — | 19 |
| 12 | Santino Ferrucci | 43.7468 | — | 18 |
| 13 | Will Power | 49.3535 | — | 17 |
| 14 | Louis Foster | 53.4054 | — | 16 |
| 15 | Josef Newgarden | 55.1028 | — | 15 |
| 16 | Rinus VeeKay | 55.7301 | — | 14 |
| 17 | Scott Dixon | 57.6243 | — | 13 |
| 18 | Romain Grosjean | 60.6920 | — | 12 |
| 19 | Graham Rahal | 64.6680 | — | 11 |
| 20 | Caio Collet | 68.1740 | — | 10 |
| 21 | Christian Rasmussen | 69.1270 | — | 9 |
| 22 | Mick Schumacher | 70.7710 | — | 8 |
| 23 | Sting Ray Robb | 1 lap | — | 7 |
| 24 | Nolan Siegel | 1 lap | — | 6 |
| 25 | Dennis Hauger | 95 laps | — | 5 |
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