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SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN No. 3 PPG CHEVROLET
START: 3RD
FINISH: 22ND
POINTS: 9TH (-199)
RACE RUNDOWN: Scott McLaughlin and the No. 3 PPG Chevrolet team were fixtures at the front of the field for most of Sunday’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. before an aggressive move for the lead resulted in heavy damage to the PPG Chevy, ending their day early. The New Zealand-American was making his 100th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start on Sunday, and he began the race from the third position for his seventh top five starting spot of 2026. Electing to start the race on the Firestone alternate tire, McLaughlin held firm to the third position through the team’s first pit stop of the day following a Lap 38 caution period. After restarting from the seventh position, McLaughlin quickly drove his way back inside the top five, showing the strength of his PPG Chevy. With the race featuring four caution periods through the first 50 laps, there were plenty of varying fuel strategies spread amongst the field. Yet, at the end of the second and third pit cycles, McLaughlin could be found in the second position and closing the gap to the race leader. Unfortunately, the sixth caution of the day came on a Lap 129 restart when McLaughlin pounced on an opening left by eventual race winner, Kyle Kirkwood but locked the rear tires and made heavy contact with the outside wall to cut a historic, milestone day short.
MCLAUGHLIN’S THOUGHTS: “I felt my tires were pretty solid on the warm-up lap and I was like, I’m going to have a crack here, and misjudged how loose it was down the inside there. It was one of those chances. Kyle has been quick all weekend, and I just want to get some track position. Basically, just lost it. Locked the rears and away she went. Sucks for my PPG Chevy team, I thought we did a really good job all day. I feel for them. I went for it, and sometimes that what happens.”
