McLaughlin’s cheeky plot to steal IndyCar crown

Scott McLaughlin is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to steal the most unlikely of IndyCar championship crowns on Monday (AEST).
The New Zealander is one of three drivers still in title contention heading into the season-ending Music City Grand Prix in Nashville.
Spain’s Alex Palou is the hot favourite to retain the Astor Cup he won for the second time in 2023, holding a 33 point lead over Australia’s Will Power.
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Scott McLaughlin of New Zealand after winning pole position in St Petersburg. Getty
McLaughlin is 50 points back from Palou in third – mathematically still in contention but only if the leader fails to start the race.
The 31-year-old former Supercars champion has therefore decided to have some fun this week in a bid to throw Palou off his game.
McLaughlin has posted cheeky ideas on social media on how to prevent the Chip Ganassi Racing star from making the start line in Tennessee, starting with some toilet humour.
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McLaughlin’s next bright idea was a dinner date.
A thoughtful idea, but the 27-year-old eventually turned him down.
Perhaps getting desperate, or at least creative, McLaughlin then tried to enlist some help from fellow IndyCar driver Graham Rahal, who owns a motorcycle dealership in Indiana.
Palou took the bait online but it seems unlikely the Spaniard will take up the offer of a two wheel jaunt.
Palou must finish ninth or better to secure the championship.
Power, meanwhile, must finish at least third to give himself a shot at a third title.
The Queenslander’s Team Penske strategist, Ron Ruzewski, outlined the race plan for Nashville after a slip up in Milwaukee cost the veteran crucial points.
“I would say every weekend we go into the weekend with the expectation of winning, but if we don’t have a winning car in the race, we try and get the best position that we can,” Ruzewski said.
“I would say the only difference in this race is if it gets down to the end and we have no chance or it looks very slim and we have to maybe go off strategy or do something at the ninth hour, you would entertain that. You make that call as you go along…
“Sure, your best bet is to go do what you’ve been doing, do what got you to here, and that’s try to win races.”