Scott McLaughlin thought “if I crash, I crash” before mad Indy 500 charge to P3

Entering the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, the theme for Scott McLaughlin was redemption, as he crashed on the pace lap last May, leaving the New Zealander him beyond dejected.

He avoided trouble all day and when the caution flew for Caio Collet’s vicious crash with eight laps to go, McLaughlin was running tenth.

When the race restarts, he swooped down low and was running sixth by the time the next caution flew, setting up a one-lap shootout. He quickly dispatched Rinus VeeKay for P5, and spent the rest of the white flag lap building a massive run on the cars ahead.

While all eyes were fixated on the dramatic battle for the win, he had his own photo finish for the final podium spot. McLaughlin followed Pato O’Ward as the Mexican driver pulled to the outside of Marcus Armstrong, and then McLaughlin swung out to the top just before reaching the bricks.

It was a three-wide photo finish from 3rd-5th, and McLaughlin was the car just ahead at the finish line. He was even looking to the left as they drag-raced across the yard of bricks, making sure he was ahead. The margin was miniscule — just 0.016s between all three cars.

McLaughlin was elated with his own result, even as Team Penske lost out on the win with his teammate David Malukas, by a mere 0.023s.

“For me, I was 10th on that first one (restart) and I was like, I’m just going to ship it and if I crash, I crash — this is it,” said McLaughlin.

“This is the pinnacle, and this is what I want out of everything. I think Dave would have been the same. I think we were on the alternate strategy, but we had 10 or so laps better tire than everyone else.

“So we knew that we probably had grip on the restarts, grip up high, just a matter of just making it happen. I mean, you did, you were leading. And you’re young. You’re going to be fine. We’re both going to get one, I reckon. Hopefully.”

McLaughlin wasn’t even sure who won the race right in front of him because he was so fixated on the cars he was racing, saying: “I honestly was looking left to see Pato and see if I got him on the line. It’s quite a bit of money from fifth to third so I was trying to get third.”

On the battle to the checkered flag, McLaughlin explained that he checked up at the exit of Turn 2 to time the run for the frontstretch, and then deployed the hybrid at the perfect moment.

Third is now McLaughlin’s best finish yet in the Indy 500, and while he lamented the fact that Penske lost out and his young teammate was heartbroken, he had a great mindset for how to view this special — yet often frustrating race.

“It’s Christmas but not everyone gets a present, and that’s the worst part about it because you wake up you’re like, yo, we’re going to get presents, it’s going to be sick, and then only one guy goes home with one. That’s what my mom said. It’s kind of a good way to look at it. But at the same time, yeah, everyone here that finishes not first despises today, and it is what it is.”