McLaughlin Finishes Third in INDYCAR iRacing Opener
March 18, 2021
In the opening race of the 2021 INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, Scott McLaughlin led the way for Team Penske as he posted a third-place finish at the virtual Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course in Montreal.
A two-time winner in the inaugural INDYCAR iRacing Challenge season in 2020, McLaughlin started second in the No. 3 PPG Dallara/Chevrolet. The New Zealand native ran among the leaders for most of the 32-lap race and actually held the lead with 12 laps remaining before a brief tour off course while battling for the top spot with eventual winner Alex Palou. Set to begin his rookie season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in just a few weeks, McLaughlin recovered to finish strong and secure a podium result.
Former Indianapolis 500 winner and series champion Will Power started 15th but worked his way inside the top 10 in the No. 12 Verizon Chevy midway through the race. Power battled hard to take the checkered flag in the 12th position Thursday evening.
Josef Newgarden, the two-time series champion for Team Penske, started in the 17th position and finished in the same spot driving the No. 2 Hitachi Chevrolet.
Competing this weekend in the 12 Hours of Sebring sports car endurance race, Team Penske's Simon Pagenaud was not able to join the INDYCAR field for the opening of the iRacing Challenge.
The second round of the virtual series will take place on the Homestead-Miami Speedway oval next Thursday, March 25 with racing set to begin shortly after 6:30 pm ET.
Watch the race replay from Montreal and tune-in for next week's iRacing Challenge race on INDYCAR.com.