2022 IndyCar: Scott McLaughlin dominates at Portland to keep himself in title contention

Scott McLaughlin led 104 of the 110 laps in capturing his third win on the season for Team Penske

This is what a race looks like when you push all the right buttons. Dot all your i's and cross all you t's. You look like Scott McLaughlin, driving away from the field and never troubled over 1.964 miles and 12 turns to lead 104 of 110 laps. 

You look like a championship contender.

That was McLaughlin at the Grand Prix of Portland. He made it look like a comfortable drive in the country as he left the rest of the field to fight among themselves for what was left.

"We did exactly what we came here to do this weekend," McLaughlin said.

What was left behind him was Team Penske teammate Will Power, who finished second to help him maintain his lead in the drivers' championship. 

"Red tires were a lot better for us. The black just never really came on. The balance never was there. In the end, if we didn't get hung out on the restart ... I just want to win the championship for the guys who have been with me for more than a decade. They deserve it."

A top three next weekend at the season finale in Laguna Seca will be enough for Power to do that.

"And that's going to be tough. Very tough," Power said. "But we're in the best position. Have the best shot. We'll do what we can."

Taking the final step on the podium was Scott Dixon, who somehow managed to drive his way from 16th to third at a track that isn't supposed to be easy to pass on, and moved himself to a tie for second with Josef Newgarden in the drivers' standings, 20 points behind Power for his trouble.

"We're still in the fight, 20 points back," Dixon said of his title chances. As for confidence going to Laguna Seca? "The testing we did ... the tire is different now. It'll be different. It's going to be an interesting moment, as it's pretty tight between the three of us."

McLaughlin improved his chances by moving to fourth in the standings at 41 points behind, but would likely need a drive at Laguna Seca such as he put on at Portland, and some problems for those in front of him, to have a chance.

Eliminated from the race for the drivers' championship were defending series champion Alex Palou, now 66 points back and Pato O'Ward.

Unofficial finishing order

1. Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske
2. Will Power, Team Penske
3. Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing
4. Pato O'Ward, Arrow McLaren SP
5. Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan
6. Colton Herta, Andretti Autosport
7. Alexander Rossi, Andretti Autosport
8. Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
9. Callum Ilott, Juncos Hollinger
10. Felix Rosenqvist, Arrow McLaren SP
11. Marcus Ericsson, Chip Ganassi Racing
12. Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
13. Kyle Kirkwood, A.J. Foyt Enterprises
14. David Malukas, Dale Coyne Racing
15. Jack Harvey, Rahal Letterman Lanigan
16. Devlin DeFrancesco, Andretti Autosport
17. Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing
18. Takuma Sato, Dale Coyne Racing
19. Romain Grosjean, Andretti Autosport
20. Rinus Veekay, Ed Carpenter Racing
21. Christian Lundgaard, Rahal Letteran Lanigan
22. Dalton Kellett, A.J. Foyt Enterprises
23. Simon Pagenaud, Meyer Shank Racing
24. Jimmie Johnson, Chip Ganassi Racing
25. Conor Daly, Ed Carpenter Racing

What we learned

Team Penske has now won three races on road courses, three on temporary street courses and three on ovals. They likely need one more on a road course to claim the drivers' title for one of their drivers. If McLaughlin isn't able to get it done, he will go into next season as one of the contenders after having a coming out party this season.

And he will probably be battling with teammates Power and Newgarden along the way.

For Dixon, he may need to change his moniker from "Iceman" to "Ironman." After taking a bit of a backseat to the young'uns last season, Dixon is the flag bearer once again at Chip Ganassi Racing, and with runs such as today at Portland, where he goes from 16th on the grid to third on the podium, he doesn't look like he'll be fading anytime soon.

O'Ward has only been full-time for two seasons, and both have been with a title within his grasp. Just a few more better finishes and he would be in the conversation with Power, Newgarden, Dixon and McLaughlin. As it is, he will be playing the part of spoiler at Laguna Seca.

With O'Ward, Felix Rosenqvist (should he stay), Alex Palou (should he come over from CGR) and Alexander Rossi coming over from Andretti Autosport, Arrow McLaren SP look like they will be a force to contend with in 2023.

[Sep 4, 2022 at 5:28 pm ET · Richard Biebrich Jr.]

Unofficial top 10 at the finish:

1. Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske
2. Will Power, Team Penske
3. Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing
4. Pato O'Ward, Arrow McLaren SP
5. Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan
6. Colton Herta, Andretti Autosport
7. Alexander Rossi, Andretti Autosport
8. Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
9. Callum Ilot, Juncos Hollinger
10. Felix Rosenqvist, Arrow McLaren SP

[Sep 4, 2022 at 5:11 pm ET · Richard Biebrich Jr.]

Rossi is past, and so is Lundgaard. Newgarden is now down to ninth.

Should it stay like this, Dixon would jump Newgarden into second in the drivers' standings.

[Sep 4, 2022 at 5:09 pm ET · Richard Biebrich Jr.]

Newgarden, only 11 seconds of push-to-pass remaining and on the hard compound, is sliding back. He's down to seventh.

Rossi will be trying to line him up soon.

[Sep 4, 2022 at 5:08 pm ET · Richard Biebrich Jr.]

Race control is not happy with O'Ward and is ordered to give up a position, moving Dixon up to third. 

At the front McLaughlin must be loving all the turmoil behind him. 

[Sep 4, 2022 at 5:07 pm ET · Richard Biebrich Jr.]

Green-green-green and we have a 22-lap shootout. O'Ward and Dixon are both on the move, and O'Ward tries to force his way past Power, but comes out of it with a little damage and still in third. Dixon makes those stickier reds work better than the harder black tires on Newgarden's car to move into fourth.

[Sep 4, 2022 at 5:00 pm ET · Richard Biebrich Jr.]

Lap 84 and the race's first caution is brought out by Jimmie Johnson, who got helped into the wall by Rinus Veekay, who may have been showing a little frustration in finally getting past him. Race control will likely have a look, and a word, with Veekay.

[Sep 4, 2022 at 4:57 pm ET · Richard Biebrich Jr.]

The pit cycle is complete and at Lap 84 it's McLaughlin still leading, followed by Power and O'Ward. Making up the top 10 are Newgarden, Rossi, Dixon, Rahal, Herta, Veekay, and Lundgaard, who stalled his car during his last pit stop and lost positions.

[Sep 4, 2022 at 4:54 pm ET · Richard Biebrich Jr.]

Lap 79 and the top two cars are in the pits. McLaughlin is in, used reds aboard, and Power is right behind him.

Newgarden pits as well, and he is back out on the primary black tires again.

[Sep 4, 2022 at 4:52 pm ET · Richard Biebrich Jr.]

Lap 78 and the pit window is open again. Rossi is in for his final stop, and he will likely have to do a bit of fuel saving to make it to the finish at this point.