GEORGE's is located in the state of St. George's Scott McLaughlin, who moved from Australia to the United States, won the first race of the season on Sunday in St. Pete.
The native New Zealander will have to see how far his first victory will take him, as the season- opening winner of the past three years has gone on to win the title.
In the 2020 season finale at St. Pete, McLaughlin declared the experience —Far out!— and the best day of his life apart from his wedding. He was rewarded with his first career pole in the third trip back.
He led 49 of the 100 laps but had to hold off Alex Palou over the closing laps to win. McLaughlin was held up by DeFrancesco, the last car on the lap, which gave Palou the chance to take a look at a pass for the lead. McLaughlin followed DeFrancesco across the finish line for another win for Team Penske.
McLaughlin said that he struggled to keep his head and save fuel during the last couple laps.
McLaughlin fell off of his car as he celebrated in the victory lane. He received a hug from Roger Penske, who celebrated his 85th birthday last week with Austin Cindric winning the Daytona 500.
Thank you to Roger Penske for giving me the chance to come here. He calmed me down last year. McLaughlin said as he sat on his car trying to catch his breath that it was a long story.
He jumped again, this time in pain from sitting on the hot car under a clear sky and temperatures nearing 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) at the checkered flag.
My butt is burning. He said that it hurt on the exhaust. I'm thinking of everyone in the floods. I can't believe it.
McLaughlin made a video call to his parents in Australia as he sat on the ground. He hasn't seen his family in two years because of the Pandemic and has mentioned it many times at St. Pete.
He said that he misses his mom and dad and wished they were here.
It was a marked turn for Team Penske, which didn't get a driver into victory lane in the 10th race of last season. The team exploded out of the gate in the year 2022, with Penske winning three straight races to start the year. The pole position was taken by Cindric in the NASCAR race at California.
Will Power, who started alongside McLaughlin on the front row, was third to put a pair of Chevrolets on the podium.
The defending race winner and favorite, Colton Herta, was fourth for the team, followed by teammate Romain Grosjean. Rinus and Graham were both for Ed Carpenter Racing.
Takuma Sato finished in the top 10 in his debut with Dale Coyne Racing, as well as eighth and ninth place.
Next up:
The March 20 race at Texas Motor Speedway will be the first on an Indy race track for Johnson. Johnson won seven times at Texas.
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