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Mid-Ohio Test Set to Break Scott McLaughlin’s Winless Streak
Highlights
- McLaughlin tested over 100 laps at Mid-Ohio on June 23
- Josef Newgarden missed test due to left leg injury
- Felipe Nasr replaced Newgarden during Mid-Ohio test
- Team Penske ranks second with 12 wins at Mid-Ohio
- McLaughlin’s winless streak extends to 28 NTT INDYCAR races
- Upcoming races at Nashville and Portland offer winning opportunities
Scott McLaughlin and Team Penske pin hopes on a June 23 Mid-Ohio test to arrest his longest INDYCAR drought before the July 5 Honda Indy 200 in Lexington, Ohio.
McLaughlin completes more than 100 laps on the 2.258-mile road course, comfortably exceeding the race distance and maximising setup evaluation on Penske’s limited in-season testing allocation.
David Malukas runs the No. 12 Chevrolet alongside him, while Felipe Nasr substitutes for Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 as Newgarden continues recovery from an Indianapolis 500 leg injury.
The decision reflects Mid-Ohio’s physical demands. Newgarden competes since May, but he appears at Road America using a walking boot and crutches, prompting Penske to bank Nasr’s feedback.
That preparation follows a bruising 2025 outing. McLaughlin leads Penske’s charge yet finishes 21st, with Will Power retiring for a lap-11 mechanical and Newgarden crashing on lap one to 27th.
Qualifying underlines the malaise, as Penske starts 18th, 21st, and 22nd. The team’s historic record remains stout, however, with 12 Mid-Ohio wins, second to Ganassi’s 13.
Team Penske owns 12 Mid-Ohio wins, trailing only Ganassi’s 13.
McLaughlin wins here in 2022, with Newgarden triumphant in 2017 and 2021. Recent form still yields podiums in three of the last four visits, though converting chances proves inconsistent.
Ending a 28-race winless run is the immediate objective. Four of his seven career victories arrive on permanent road courses, making Mid-Ohio’s layout a logical target for momentum.
McLaughlin’s winless streak stands at 28 races since Milwaukee 2024.
The test focuses on baseline refinement, tyre life on primary and alternate compounds, and race-decision trees around traffic, cautions, and push-to-pass deployment to protect track position.
Correlation work also matters. Lessons from recent test patterns at Mid-Ohio inform setup choices, while simulator integration should reduce compromises that blunted Penske’s 2025 qualifying pace.
Felipe Nasr substitutes for Josef Newgarden at the test to manage physical demands.
In championship terms, McLaughlin sits seventh, 126 points off leader Alex Palou, and shadowing rivals including Pato O’Ward and Newgarden.
Upcoming fixtures strengthen his case. He posts fifth and third at Nashville Superspeedway, returning on July 19, and owns a 2022 victory at Portland, which also features in August.
Over 100 laps at Mid-Ohio give Penske rare in-season mileage to validate simulator work.
Penske’s prospects, however, hinge on clean execution. Track position, undercut potential, and caution timing routinely decide Mid-Ohio, where passing remains difficult despite evolving tyre strategies.
Expect Ganassi to set the benchmark again, with Scott Dixon’s preparation underlining that threat, as explored in Dixon preparing for Mid-Ohio.
Visual Summary
28 RACES ⟶ No Win
McLaughlin chases victory at Mid-Ohio to end drought
Penske: 12 wins at Mid-Ohio
Last win: 2022
McLaughlin: 4/7 wins on road courses
Last win: 2024
Rivals: Palou leads by 126 pts
Penske ranks 2nd*
Next Target:
Mid-Ohio · July 5 🗓️
Mid-Ohio · July 5 🗓️
Testing complete: 100+ laps — Penske prepares for comeback.
Brian Thompson focuses on IndyCar Series news, from qualifying speeds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to street-course race strategy. He delivers concise feature stories and technical breakdowns on chassis setups, tire choices, and championship standings for open-wheel enthusiasts.
