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McLaughlin began this weekend’s Alabama IndyCar Grand Prix with just five points to his name after his podium in Race 1 of the season was struck out and he retired with gearbox issues in Race 2 at Long Beach.
He now has six series points having topped Qualifying on Saturday at Barber, but the achievement meant much more than that to the fist-pumping Team Penske driver.
“It’s been tough,” he said.
“The Good Ranchers Chevy was so good today, I just want to give these guys and girls on the team an opportunity to be back on the front row and be back on pole.
“It’s been tough, the last couple of races; we just haven’t hit it in qualifying. I’m so proud of that. Super proud of the execution today.
“Obviously, this means a lot, but we just have to keep focusing like this for the rest of the season and keep working hard.”
Both he and original race winner Josef Newgarden were disqualified from the St Petersburg race due to a ‘manipulated’ push-to-pass system while Will Power lost 10 series points because he did not hit the button at an illegal time in his Penske entry.
“YESSSSS!”
The lap that secured it for @smclaughlin93 🔒#INDYCAR // @Team_Penske pic.twitter.com/mJ7UYjVUid
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) April 27, 2024
While the team maintains it was a series of innocent errors, the mood within the paddock is generally one of scepticism, with Colton Herta declaring Newgarden’s excuse that he thought there had been a rule change as “bullshit.”
Asked if the events of recent days had provided extra motivation this weekend, McLaughlin replied, “Look, just take it as it comes.
“Ultimately, we’re always out there to win. It’s been a tough week, but it is what it is. We’ve moved forward.
“We’ll just keep starting our championship comeback, we would like to say, and do the best we can.
“The best thing we can do is continue getting poles and hope to get a win, but we know it’s going to be hard.”
McLaughlin beat Power to pole position by just under a tenth of a second (0.0970s), making for an all-Penske front row, while Newgarden ended up eighth.
Next up is the Warm Up on Sunday at 10:15 ET/Monday 00:15 AEST, then the 90-lap Race from Sunday at 13:30 ET/Monday at 03:30 AEST.
