Scott McLaughlin

Scott McLaughlin is the driver of the #3 Team Penske Chevrolet in the 2022 NTT IndyCar Championship.

The New Zealand-born, Australian-raised 28 year-old is embarking on his second season in the premier American open-wheel series.

His debut season netted the IndyCar Rookie of the Year honours – where he became the first Team Penske driver to win the award in the team’s rich history.

He also received the prestigious Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year title.

He finished 13th in his maiden IndyCar Championship tilt.

McLaughlin is a three-time Supercars Champion (2018 – 2020) and the 2019 Bathurst 1000 Champion – where he raced a Ford Mustang for DJR Team Penske.

He remains the youngest ever Supercar driver (aged 16), the youngest Supercar race winner (aged 19), and is one of the most popular drivers in Australia and New Zealand.

He lives in Mooresville, North Carolina with his wife, Karly, and their cavoodle, named Chase.

News

A great season, a great ending – Round 16

G’day crew,

I’m writing this after a big night – we toasted our season on a high last night after a wild ending to the championship!

It was a great result for the team – and that was always the goal for the Laguna Seca final round. 

We just HAD to ensure one of us won the title – and that was always most likely to be Will Power. 

So having grown up watching and admiring Will – it’s now cool to be his teammate, and it’s fantastic to have played a small part in helping him win his second title. 

So I couldn’t be more thrilled for him and his crew and for Roger Penske and Tim Cindric who put so much work into our team. 

With Will leading the title and Josef Newgarden in contention – I was playing the role of running with Scott Dixon. 

It obviously meant my chances of winning the title were unlikely – but being 41 points behind – it was always a long shot. 

That left us playing the team role, and that’s cool – it’s already been a really successful season personally. 

So it was my time to sacrifice for the team. 

It’s not that it was a quiet afternoon – we were pitting every time Dixon stopped – and we had a couple of clashes with Marcus Ericsson who we were directly fighting for the title top five with… so there was a bit on!

The end result was a sixth place finish.

But the better result was a fourth in the championship.

All year long I’ve been striving to be top five in the series – so to be fourth was just hugely satisfying. 

I’m really happy with the year – we were way ahead of my predictions, the teams predictions, even Roger’s predictions – so that’s not a bad thing, right? 

I feel like we have plenty of momentum to hit the ground running when the series starts next February. 

So I’m really thankful to my team and my guys – especially Benny Bretzman my engineer – who has been an unbelievable rock for me this year. 

He’s believed in me and pushed me and prods me – but more importantly has given me the confidence, as well as a rocket ship to play with each weekend. 

I was really hoping to win a race at the start of this season – so to have been able to win three times is bloody fantastic. 

Add to that three poles and a bunch of podiums – and it again just goes to show to everyone that we belong in this sport. 

You guys all know how much I sucked last year – and it got me down – but it just goes to show to everyone, that the harder you work at something, the richer the reward is when it comes. 

We worked our tails off this time last year to improve – so it makes me proud how far we’ve progressed in our second season here. 

It would have been easy for everyone to jump off me after 2021 – from the Penske crew, to sponsors and fans. 

But people stuck with me – and that means the world to me. 

Karly and I are living the dream over here – it’s the absolute best racing on earth – and we’re lucky to be with the best team. 

But by no means am I content – we still have big dreams and big goals to fulfil. 

An Indy 500 and an IndyCar title are my goal – and I hope I can deliver for Roger on the promise I’ve made him.

I’m nursing a sore head this morning – and I need a break after a long and demanding year, but it’ll be nice to reflect on 2022 on our break. 

Next month I’ll head home for the first time since 2020 to catch up with all of our friends and family – and to see our little apartment that’s sat empty for a few years!

I’m doing some commentary at the Adelaide 500 which will be fun, and will be nice to be back in the Supercar paddock after so long away. 

The it’s New Zealand for Christmas before getting back into it. 

Thanks to everyone who has followed my progress over the year – I appreciate the feedback and the messages. 

I’ll chat soon, 

Scotty


Join me on my journey – check out my posts from the 2021 IndyCar Series and keep up to date with my thoughts in 2022 at the link below.

Schedule

2022 NTT IndyCar Championship Schedule

USA                        AUST / NZ            Round                   Venue

Feb 27                   Feb 28                  1                             Streets of St Petersburg (1st)

March 20             March 21            2                             Texas Motor Speedway (2nd)

April 10                April 11                3                             Streets of Long Beach (14th)

May 1                    May 2                   4                              Barber Motorsports Park (6th)

May 14                 May 15                 5                              Indianapolis Motor Speedway (20th)

May 29                 May 30               6                              Indianapolis 500 (29th)

June 5                   June 6                 7                              Raceway at Bell Isle Park (19th)

June 12                 June 13               8                              Road America (7th)

July 3                     July 4                   9                              Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (1st)

July 17                   July 18                 10                           Streets of Toronto (9th)

July 23                   July 24                11                           Iowa Speedway – Race 1 (22nd)
July 24                   July 25                                                Iowa Speedway – Race 2 (3rd)

July 30                   July 31                 12                           Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Road Course) (4th)

August 7               August 8           13                           Streets of Nashville (2nd)

August 20            August 21         14                           World Wide Technology Raceway, Gateway (3rd)

September 4      September 5   15                           Portland International Raceway (1st)

September 11    September 12  16                           WeatherTech Raceway, Laguna Seca

Media

Follow Scott’s journey: He chats to Racer about his second year gains after a win in Mid-Ohio.
Living the Dream: Herald Sun Newspaper – March 1, 2023

Follow all of the media work and media appearances by Scott McLaughlin in 2022.

ONLINE

Ryan: The shoey fits for new IndyCar star Scott McLaughlin – NBC Sports

McLaughlin Savoring Maiden IndyCar Win After ‘Hard Times’ in 2021 | TobyChristie.com

Perseverance pays off for McLaughlin with IndyCar breakthrough – Speedcafe

Scott McLaughlin interview 2022 (whichcar.com.au)

Getting real about Scott McLaughlin | Stuff.co.nz

XPEL To Back Scott McLaughlin In 3 Races – SPEED SPORT

McLaughlin looking ‘really good’ for Bathurst 1000 return – Speedcafe

McLaughlin has lofty IndyCar ambitions (muswellbrookchronicle.com.au)

McLaughlin inside top 10 at Sebring test – Speedcafe

RADIO

Scott McLaughlin with Melbourne sports journalist and radio host Gerard Whateley.

Listen here

PODCASTS

Balls and Bumpers with Jack Riewoldt and Scott McLaughlin

Listen to the Podcast – just click here!