The New Zealander is set to head up an all-Team Penske front row on Sunday afternoon (local time) at The Brickyard after setting the fastest pole run in history.
McLaughlin and his team-mates have also been speedy in race trim during the seven days of on-track activity so far, and now just two hours of practice remain on Carb Day before the field will take the green flag for IndyCar’s biggest race.
“I think, Carb Day, it’s more you’re trying to sort out your car, your engine,” said the three-time Supercars champion.
“I feel like we’re definitely in a spot where we feel like we really have a good, comfortable race car underneath me; just finalising some downforce levels and a few things.
“Overall, in and out laps are going to be pretty critical in the race. We’ll finalise some of that, braking markers, whatnot.
“Ultimately it’s been a really cool week. I think everyone is just really proud and excited to get ahead to the race.
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“Yeah, it’s an awesome deal right now.”
In laps have proven the undoing of far more experienced and accomplished IndyCar drivers at Indianapolis, including one of McLaughlin’s compatriots.
It was in 2022 when Scott Dixon’s hopes of a second Indy 500 victory were dashed in an instant, at a time when he looked to have the win as firmly in his grasp as one could realistically hope for in the modern era.
‘The Iceman’ had just clocked up a 95th lap in the lead when he dropped in to take his final scheduled stop with 25 laps to go.
It was then that he pinched the rear brakes of his Chip Ganassi Racing Honda and broke the speed limit on entry to the pits, drawing a drive-through penalty before eventually finishing 21st.
Dixon was ‘heartbroken’ in the moments immediately after the race and was left to lament at the following night’s banquet that he “let so many people down.”
Then, a Ganassi Honda looked to be the car to have, and Marcus Ericsson did profit from Dixon’s error to win the race in its #8 entry.
This year, the Penske Chevrolets have been the ones to beat, as far back as April’s Open Test when 2023 race winner Josef Newgarden set the pace and McLaughlin ended up sixth on the timesheet.
The latter says his #3 car has barely changed since the Open Test or the start of practice in May.
“For me, it’s just a little downforce change,” he remarked.
“Basically, fundamentally exactly the same as how I started, really.”
Carb Day practice takes place tomorrow, with race start estimated at Sunday at 12:45 ET/Monday at 02:45 AEST.
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