Samwise IndyCar Newsletter
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
O’Ward Claims Mid-Ohio Victory in Arrow McLaren’s Historic 1-2
Pato O’Ward delivered Arrow McLaren’s finest hour Sunday, capitalising on Christian Lundgaard’s Turn 2 error on lap 42 to claim victory at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio — the team’s first-ever 1-2 finish in IndyCar. O’Ward held a 0.9877-second advantage at the flag, with Lundgaard second and Kyle Kirkwood completing the podium. It was O’Ward’s 10th career IndyCar win — achieved on nine different circuits — and his first road-course victory since Mid-Ohio 2024. “Today is just a perfect example of execution. I waited for the perfect time to pounce. And from there, we just controlled it.”
Sources: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Dixon and Rosenqvist Join Arrow McLaren’s Loaded 2027 Roster
Arrow McLaren has locked in a formidable four-car lineup for 2027. Six-time champion Scott Dixon joins Pato O’Ward on a two-year deal, taking Christian Lundgaard’s No. 7 Chevrolet. Felix Rosenqvist returns from Meyer Shank Racing to partner Dixon in the No. 6, while Ryan Hunter-Reay — 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner and the team’s Sporting Director — will pilot a fourth entry at the Indy 500. “Our IndyCar team has shown fantastic momentum,” said co-owner Zak Brown. “This lineup of Pato, Scott, Felix and Ryan will strengthen every aspect of our program. We’ve got our eyes firmly set on the championship as well as winning the Indianapolis 500.”
Lundgaard Cleared to Negotiate as Arrow McLaren Waives Exclusive Window
Christian Lundgaard’s departure from Arrow McLaren at season’s end opens one of IndyCar’s most coveted free-agent markets in years. The 24-year-old Dane — who recorded three wins and 11 podiums in 28 starts in the No. 7 Chevrolet — was released when the team waived his exclusive negotiating window to accommodate the Scott Dixon signing. Multiple top-tier teams are expected to pursue him, including Chip Ganassi Racing (filling Dixon’s vacancy), Meyer Shank Racing (replacing Rosenqvist), and Andretti Global. Lundgaard’s runner-up at Mid-Ohio, where a late Turn 2 error proved costly, will only add to his market appeal.
Palou Leads Championship by 56 Points After Round 11
Alex Palou’s advantage at the top of the IndyCar championship stands at 56 points after Round 11 of 18, despite the margin shrinking slightly at Mid-Ohio. The reigning champion, chasing an unprecedented fourth consecutive title and fifth overall, finished fifth behind the dominant Arrow McLaren pairing. Kyle Kirkwood moved into second with 348 points, narrowly ahead of Christian Lundgaard on 339 and David Malukas on 338. Pato O’Ward sits fifth on 310 points. With seven races remaining — beginning with Nashville on July 19 — Palou holds a commanding but not insurmountable lead.
Sources: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Kirkwood Ends 31-Start Road Course Drought with Career-Best Third
Kyle Kirkwood delivered the best permanent road course result of his IndyCar career with a third-place finish at Mid-Ohio, charging from tenth on the grid to join the Arrow McLaren 1-2. The Andretti Global driver had gone 31 consecutive permanent road course starts without reaching the podium before Sunday’s breakthrough. The result, combined with championship leader Alex Palou finishing fifth, helped Kirkwood narrow the points gap to 56 and consolidate second in the standings on 348 points. Kirkwood applied relentless pressure on Palou throughout the race, ultimately benefiting from clean strategy and flawless tyre management.
Sources: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
VeeKay’s Brilliant Strategy Delivers JHR’s Best Road Course Result Since 2024
Rinus VeeKay and Juncos Hollinger Racing continued their quietly impressive 2026 campaign with a fourth-place finish at Mid-Ohio — the team’s best road course result since Romain Grosjean’s fourth at Laguna Seca in 2024. Starting sixth, the 25-year-old Dutchman leapt to fourth on the opening lap using the softer alternate tires, then pitted early onto the harder compound to gain track position. A slow final stop cost a shot at the podium, but VeeKay still held off reigning champion Alex Palou. “Today we showed — the fairly small team that we are — that once we run up front, we can run with the big guys,” VeeKay said.
Sources: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Drivers’ Championship
1. Alex Palou — 404 pts
2. Kyle Kirkwood — 348 pts
3. Christian Lundgaard — 339 pts
4. David Malukas — 338 pts
5. Pato O’Ward — 310 pts
6. Josef Newgarden — 270 pts
7. Felix Rosenqvist — 265 pts
8. Scott McLaughlin — 262 pts
9. Scott Dixon — 224 pts
10. Marcus Ericsson — 222 pts
11. Rinus VeeKay — 219 pts
12. Marcus Armstrong — 219 pts
13. Graham Rahal — 218 pts
14. Will Power — 209 pts
15. Kyffin Simpson — 194 pts
16. Alexander Rossi — 190 pts
17. Louis Foster — 159 pts
18. Dennis Hauger (R) — 148 pts
19. Nolan Siegel — 145 pts
20. Christian Rasmussen — 143 pts
21. Romain Grosjean — 139 pts
22. Caio Collet (R) — 132 pts
23. Sting Ray Robb — 108 pts
24. Mick Schumacher (R) — 108 pts
25. Conor Daly — 24 pts
26. Takuma Sato — 20 pts
27. Jack Harvey — 8 pts
28. Jacob Abel (R) — 6 pts
29. Helio Castroneves — 5 pts
30. Ed Carpenter — 5 pts
31. Ryan Hunter-Reay — 5 pts
32. Katherine Legge — 5 pts
Teams’ Championship
1. Team Penske — 704 pts
2. Chip Ganassi Racing — 685 pts
3. Arrow McLaren — 671 pts
4. Andretti Global — 628 pts
5. Meyer Shank Racing — 484 pts
6. Rahal Letterman Lanigan — 410 pts
7. ECR — 333 pts
8. Juncos Hollinger Racing — 327 pts
9. A.J. Foyt Enterprises — 311 pts
10. Dale Coyne Racing — 287 pts
11. Dreyer & Reinbold — 32 pts
12. Abel Motorsports — 6 pts
13. HMD Motorsports — 5 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency