Scott McLaughlin has achieved lots in only a comparatively brief period of time in motorsports, stacking up a CV filled with wins from across the globe along with capturing three Supercars titles in Australia.
And it began at an early age for the Kiwi, setting the mark because the youngest winner within the historical past of Supercars after taking the checkered flag at Pukekohe in 2013 at 19 years, 10 months and three days previous.
He went on to assert 55 extra wins within the collection, together with the 2019 version of the Bathurst 1000.
After McLaughlin’s IndyCar Collection one-off begin on the Streets of St. Petersburg in 2020, he made the full-time swap with Workforce Penske the next season.
In 2022, he delivered a rousing win on the very observe he made his debut, warding off then-reigning (and now two-time) collection champion Alex Palou.
At present contesting his fourth season in North America’s premier open-wheel championship, McLaughlin has amassed six wins. His newest victory within the opening race of a double-header weekend at Iowa stood as his maiden on an oval and noticed him declare he might “name myself an IndyCar driver now” to pair together with his success on highway and road circuits.
Scott McLaughlin, Workforce Penske Chevrolet, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, begin
Photograph by: Phillip Abbott / Motorsport Photographs
With that, it begs the query: Which collection win is extra satisfying than the opposite for McLaughlin?
“It’s onerous to reply that query with out pissing folks off on each side of the world,” quipped McLaughlin, who additionally captured an LMP2 class victory in IMSA’s 12 Hours of Sebring final 12 months.
“I feel from an IndyCar perspective, successful a race in IndyCar, there are such a lot of variables that go into an IndyCar race. Like, successful an IndyCar race is extraordinarily satisfying.
“A V8 (Supercars) race, they differ. I imply, when you have a dash V8 race, the place you simply must get off the road and drive it residence, that’s lots simpler than a three-stop race in Toronto or one thing like that.
“However then you’ve gotten Bathurst and that’s a six- or seven-hour race, and one other driver and there’s lots of variables which are out of your management; it’s extraordinarily satisfying while you win that race.
“So, I feel it differs. And it’s the identical right here, I imply, I’m certain that the Thermal race that Alex (Palou) gained perhaps wasn’t as satisfying as his race win at, wherever it was, I can’t keep in mind as a result of he’s gained at lots of locations.
“I feel it simply depends upon how tough the win is, I feel, and that determines the satisfaction.”
Scott McLaughlin, DJR Workforce Penske Ford
Photograph by: Dirk Klynsmith / Motorsport Photographs
With that stated, although, McLaughlin make clear what he views as essentially the most satisfying win of his profession up to now.
“It’s onerous to go previous Bathurst,” McLaughlin stated, the 2021 IndyCar Rookie of the Yr.
“For me, that basically arrange my profession right here. You already know, I acquired out of the automotive and the very first thing that Roger (Penske) stated to me was, ‘Alright, time for America.’
“Yeah, that set me up, proper. Then, in all probability, a really shut second is my first win at St. Petersburg.
“That was a superb one. I had mild site visitors and Alex, the reigning champion, respiration down my neck, that was a little bit of my arrival kind of second, particularly after the 12 months I had beforehand.”
