Scott McLaughlin wins first IndyCar race in St. Petersburg season opener

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Scott McLaughlin at last showed his long move from Australia to the United States was worth the gamble, getting his first IndyCar Series win on Sunday in the season-opening race through the downtown streets of St. Petersburg.

Now the native New Zealander will have to see how far his first victory will take him: IndyCar's season-opening winner has gone on to claim the championship the past three years.

McLaughlin, 28, the three-time Australian V8 Supercars champion, made his IndyCar debut at St. Pete in the 2020 season finale and declared the experience «Far out!» and «the best day of my life apart from my wedding,» even after a crash caused his early exit. In his third trip back, he made qualifying his priority and was rewarded with his first career pole.

He led 49 of the 100 laps but had to hold off reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou over the closing laps to secure the victory. McLaughlin was held up by rookie Devlin DeFrancesco, the last car on the lap, on the final trip around the track, which gave Palou the chance to take one look at a pass for the lead. Palou couldn't get close enough and McLaughlin followed DeFrancesco across the finish line for another win for Team Penske.

McLaughlin stood atop his car in victory lane to celebrate but then tumbled off it to the ground in his excitement. He was greeted with a hug by team owner Roger Penske, who just one week ago celebrated his 85th birthday with Austin Cindric's win in the Daytona 500.

«Thank you to Roger Penske for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to come here. He's the one that calmed me down last year. He said, 'Hey, it's a long story, not a short one,'» McLaughlin said as he sat on his car trying to catch his breath.

McLaughlin