Scott McLaughlin has taken his first race victory in the NTT IndyCar Series after holding off reigning champion Alex Palou in the final laps.
The win comes one day after the Kiwi claimed his first pole in the championship, and he becomes the latest race winner for the prestigious Team Penske.
With Palou second, McLaughlin’s team-mate Will Power claimed the final spot on the podium in third place.
McLaughlin led the early stages of the race, and appeared somewhat comfortable on his tyres compared to rivals behind, managing to create a small cap.
Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta lost track position to Power on lap 20, following a period of calm in the opening stage of the race.
However, that changed when rookie David Malukas hit the wall on lap 26, which brought out the race’s only Full Course Yellow.
The leaders dived into the pits and were sent into the pack, while several others inherited the position at the front of the field as a result of pit stops earlier in the race.
McLaughlin eventually shuffled back to the lead of the event and on lap 65, he made his final stop of the race, which would prove to be a crucial period with Palou sitting just behind.
Palou pitted on the very next lap, but couldn’t successfully execute the overcut and was forced to settle in behind the Team Penske driver.
The Spaniard hounded the rear of McLaughlin as the race entered its dying stages, and things became more difficult for McLaughlin in the final laps, when he caught backmarker Devlin DeFrancesco, who was not obliged to let him through.
However, McLaughlin withstood the pressure and took the chequered flag half a second ahead of Palou.
With Power third, Colton Herta was forced to settle for fourth place, ahead of Andretti Autosport team-mate Romain Grosjean.
Dutchman Rinus VeeKay was sixth, while Graham Rahal was seventh.
Scott Dixon’s three-stop strategy attempt failed to reap rewards, however he was the highest placed driver on that plan in eighth.
Marcus Ericsson was ninth after he was penalised for an unsafe release earlier in the race, while two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato rounded out the top 10.
Dalton Kellett was the only other retirement from the race, as a mechanical issue forced him into the pit lane shortly after the halfway mark.
Keyword: McLaughlin fends off Palou to take maiden IndyCar win