Scott McLaughlin secures maiden IndyCar victory after Supercars switch

Scott McLaughlin has secured his first IndyCar victory, tumbled off his winning car during the celebration and declared his love for Australia and New Zealand on a momentous day for the former Supercars star.

“I couldn’t believe it, I jumped and my legs just wouldn’t move, they were like jelly,” he said

“And when I hit the ground, I was done. I was trying to make it as delicate as I could, and I just looked like a wombat out there.”

Out of breath, he sat on the car to collect himself. Then he jumped again, this time because the heat from his exhaust was burning his behind through his fire suit.

“My butt is getting burnt. Oh, that hurt, on the exhaust,” he said.

Then McLaughlin sat on the ground to video call his parents in New Zealand, who listened to the race on the IndyCar app.

The pandemic has kept McLaughlin from his family for two years and they’ve yet to see him race in his new home and new series.

He at last called for a cold beer, but when McLaughlin noticed Australian fans in victory lane, he ramped up the party -- he took off one of his racing boots and dumped beer inside for a ‘shoey’.

“Oh my God, I’m just - (I) love you Australia, New Zealand, miss you guys,” McLaughlin said.

“Thinking of everyone in the Queensland floods at the moment. But oh, I can’t believe it.”

It was quite the day for McLaughlin, whose decision to leave Australia after three consecutive Supercars championships to join IndyCar was finally vindicated.

The 28-year-old had a difficult first full season in the US but broke through on Sunday for his first IndyCar victory in the season-opening race through the downtown streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.

“I’m a competitive bloke. I want to win. I want to get poles. I want to dominate races and