Scott McLaughlin took victory in the final race of the 2026 IndyCar season, all but dominating at Laguna Seca to close out the season.
It was his first win in the past 35 races, and the 312th IndyCar Series win for Team Penske, which helped give the squad a boost that will last throughout the offseason.
The team’s three drivers finished fifth, sixth, and eighth in the championship, which was a marked improvement over last season. Will Power was the top Penske driver in 2025, finishing ninth in the title race.
Team Penske President Jonathan Diuguid talked after the Laguna Seca finale, and highlighted the importance of ending the season on a high.
“It’s definitely nice to win the last race of the year,” said Diuguid. “We just have to figure out how to win some more in the middle. We had a crucial test [at Mid-Ohio] for our organization. Today was proof in the pudding, showed up with good cars, got the pole and the race win.
“That bodes well. We’re strong on road courses, street courses and ovals now, which is what it takes to be competitive in the championship. Real excited for 2027 already. We’ll definitely celebrate this win, it’s an important one for the team.
“I would say it’s a tough season. We won three races this year, which isn’t something to shake a stick at. We moved all the cars up in the championship about all of them finishing in the top eight.
“I think as an organization we’re definitely heading the right direction. Our performance has been strong. Like Scott [McLaughlin] mentioned, it’s all about execution. Winning the last race is definitely the last memory in everybody’s mind. It’s very positive for the team and the shop.”
Team Penske will continue with the same driver line-up for next season, retaining McLaughlin alongside Josef Newgarden and David Malukas.
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