The 2025 NTT IndyCar Series wrapped up its season with a dramatic finale at Nashville Superspeedway, where Josef Newgarden gave his home fans a reason to celebrate, while Scott McLaughlin fought tooth and nail to claim a podium spot in the final laps.
The race had everything: wheel-to-wheel battles, tyre failures, pit stop drama, and heartbreak for contenders, capping off another unforgettable season.
The weekend began with Pato O’Ward stamping his authority early, topping the opening practice with a searing 23.6612 lap (202.357mph). Among the Kiwis, Scott Dixon was quickest in fifth, just 0.0866s off the pace, with McLaughlin in 11th and Marcus Armstrong in 13th, both within two-tenths of O’Ward.
O’Ward carried that speed into qualifying, securing pole ahead of David Malukas. Dixon was again the leading Kiwi in fifth, McLaughlin lined up eighth, and Armstrong qualified 17th but moved up to 14th after others took grid penalties.
In final practice, Dixon showed his hand, topping the charts with a 24.0895 lap (198.759mph), just ahead of Newgarden and Armstrong. McLaughlin slotted in seventh, making it clear all three New Zealanders had pace heading into Sunday’s finale.
Alex Palou had already locked up his third consecutive championship two rounds earlier at Portland, arriving in Nashville with a commanding 670 points.
Behind him, O’Ward held second (505 points), while Dixon (433 points) still had a mathematical chance at catching him. Armstrong sat seventh, level on points with Colton Herta, while McLaughlin rounded out the Top 10, making it three Kiwis inside the championship’s elite.
Under clear skies and 30-degree heat, O’Ward led the field to green alongside Malukas. The Mexican held the inside and swept into the lead, while Palou muscled past Malukas around the outside for second. But the race barely found rhythm before Christian Rasmussen lost control and slammed into the wall, bringing out the first caution of the day.
When racing resumed on Lap 9, chaos erupted. McLaughlin stormed through to third on the restart as the pack fanned four-wide into Turn 1, while Armstrong slipped back to 16th in the scramble.
At the front, O’Ward and Palou went toe-to-toe in a tense multi-lap duel, neither willing to lift, before O’Ward edged clear.
By Lap 40, O’Ward was cruising with a near four-second lead as the leaders threaded through lapped traffic. Palou’s race took a blow shortly after with a puncture on Lap 53, forcing an unscheduled stop.
Pit stops shuffled the order across Laps 57–61. O’Ward re-emerged in control, Malukas second, and McLaughlin solidly in fourth. Dixon sat eighth, Armstrong still buried in 16th.
The race took another twist on Lap 83 when Malukas and Louis Foster tangled, sending Malukas spinning and out of contention.
Malukas was later transported via helicopter to the local trauma center for precautionary evaluation and advanced imaging but was reported to be awake, alert and in good spirits.
The caution prompted another round of stops, where McLaughlin jumped Palou in the lane to move up to second.
The restart on Lap 101 saw O’Ward lead McLaughlin and Palou, but it wasn’t long before Herta and the Penske duo of Power and Newgarden began carving forward.
McLaughlin struggled with hard compound tyre, slipping back to sixth, while Armstrong climbed into the Top 10.
Just as he looked untouchable, heartbreak struck for O’Ward on Lap 127. His right-front tyre let go, pitching him into the wall and out of the race.
O’Ward climbed from his wrecked car, his shot at ending the season with victory gone in an instant.
Power, who had just inherited the lead, immediately ran into trouble of his own, overshooting his pit box, stalling, and then drawing an investigation for an unsafe release, but no action was taken.
Amid the chaos, Alexander Rossi stayed out and briefly assumed the lead.
The race came back to life on Lap 141, with Rossi defending valiantly on worn tyres before Newgarden swept past on Lap 147 to take control. McLaughlin slotted into second, Armstrong surged into third, and Palou found himself shuffled to seventh.
Strategy came into play during the final round of pit stops. Newgarden and Armstrong pitted on Lap 187, McLaughlin followed on Lap 189, and Palou cycled into the lead after stopping earlier.
On fresher tyres, McLaughlin powered past Palou on Lap 200 with a stunning high-line move, only for Newgarden to follow through a lap later.
Disaster nearly struck McLaughlin again when he lightly brushed the wall with 21 laps to go, triggering another caution and setting up a sprint finish. Luckily, his car was undamaged.
The field bunched up with 11 laps remaining: Newgarden ahead of Palou, McLaughlin, and the impressive Rookie Kyffin Simpson. Dixon was stuck outside the Top 10 in 14th, Armstrong fading to 19th after a late pit stop.
McLaughlin locked horns with Simpson for the final podium spot in a tense back-and-forth fight. Simpson got the upper hand with six to go, but McLaughlin refused to yield.
At the front, Newgarden soaked up relentless pressure from Palou to take a drama-free win on home soil.
Palou crossed the line second, sealing his championship season with yet another podium. And right at the chequered flag, McLaughlin muscled past Simpson to snatch third, his second straight podium and a double delight for Team Penske.
Top 10:
- Josef Newgarden
- Alex Palou
- Scott McLaughlin
- Kyffin Simpson
- Conor Daly
- Kyle Kirkwood
- Felix Rosenqvist
- Santino Ferrucci
- Callum Ilott
- Alexander Rossi
The IndyCar finale had it all: triumph, heartbreak, and a dash of controversy. Newgarden gave his home fans the perfect ending, Palou reaffirmed his dominance, and McLaughlin proved once again why he’s a force to be reckoned with heading into 2026.
“Bittersweet, right? It’s great for the team, well done to Joseph. You know, I wish it could have been me, but I just turned a little late into turn one there and just got my right rear. I nearly saved it, and then I just got up in the marble, but at least Team Chevy won, and we’re up there,” said McLaughlin post-race.
“Full credit to Kyffin, that was some very elder Statesman driving from the young fella, he did an awesome job, I just held it flat at the end, if I was in the fence, I was in the fence, but managed to hold on to it, and I’m glad to get a podium,” said McLaughlin post-race.
For the Kiwis, it was a mixed day, McLaughlin shining with a podium, Dixon battling to 12th, and Armstrong left frustrated in 19th after running up front for a time in the second half of the race. But with all three finishing the year inside the Top 10 in the championship, New Zealand’s presence in IndyCar remains as strong as ever.
In the Manufacturer’s Championship, Honda emerged victorious for the 2025 season, while Chip Ganassi Racing claimed the Team Championship. Alex Palou was officially crowned the 2025 IndyCar Champion, receiving both the championship trophy and his third consecutive champion’s ring, a remarkable achievement.
Meanwhile, the Rookie of the Year honours went to Louis Foster of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, capping off an impressive debut season.
Header Image: Penske Entertainment – Chris Jones
