Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward was victorious within the second race of IndyCar’s Milwaukee Mile doubleheader.
The 27-year-old Mexican recovered from an early pit-stop drawback earlier than a fast ultimate cease vaulted him into the lead with 54 laps remaining. From there, he held agency en path to a 0.7916s win over Workforce Penske’s Scott McLaughlin. It marked O’Ward’s Eleventh profession IndyCar victory, his second at Milwaukee and second of the 2026 season. His earlier win on the monitor got here in 2024.
O’Ward’s teammate, Christian Lundgaard, completed third to offer Chevrolet a sweep of the rostrum.
“We had been feeling actually good yesterday,” O’Ward mentioned, of the primary race that might be run later this afternoon following a rain delay. “This, I consider it is an all-Workforce Chevy podium. That is wonderful. We like Milwaukee. Yesterday the automobile, like I mentioned, was feeling actually good. I am unable to say I wasn’t struggling a bit bit within the race. I positively was. It took me a bit bit to type of discover a rhythm. The monitor temp is a bit bit hotter in the present day. It positively makes this stuff a bit bit extra on the sting, however I used it up after we wanted. We had the automobile to do it. We had the facility to do it. And tremendous happy with everyone. We had a bit little bit of a foul first pit cease, however I used to be assured with what was below me that I might type of discover my method ahead and preserve making it higher. It is a lengthy race.”
Workforce Penske’s David Malukas completed fourth, forward of pole-sitter Alex Palou’s #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in fifth. Andretti World’s Kyle Kirkwood charged from twenty fourth to complete sixth, stopping Palou from locking up the championship.
The Race
Palou led the sector to the inexperienced flag, as the sector scattered behind. Josef Newgarden instantly moved previous fellow front-row starter O’Ward for second.
The early mover was Dale Coyne Racing’s Romain Grosjean, leaning on the high-line to advance 10 spots to tenth after the opening 5 laps. Palou’s lead was 1.7678s over Newgarden by lap 5.
The sector started to unfold out by lap 15, with Palou extending his result in 3.9971s over Newgarden. O’Ward sat third, adopted by rookie Mick Schumacher (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) in fourth, and teammate Louis Foster in fifth.
By lap 25, Palou’s lead was 1.9047s over Newgarden. On the identical time, Andretti World’s Kyle Kirkwood, who progressed eight spots to sixteenth after beginning twenty fourth, was reporting that his cool go well with had failed over the radio.
Newgarden caught Palou as the 2 battled for the lead on lap 30. Newgarden tried an out of doors move in flip 1, however Palou was in a position to fend him off.
Newgarden received by Palou with an inside move into flip 3 on lap 34 to take the lead.
The yellow flag got here out on lap 35 after Grosjean half-spun off flip 2. He didn’t make any contact and was in a position to proceed on.
Romain Grosjean, Dale Coyne Racing
Picture by: Gavin Baker / Lumen by way of Getty Pictures
The pits opened up a few laps later. Palou got here out with the lead, whereas Newgarden practically made contact with Arrow McLaren’s Nolan Siegel exiting his stall. O’Ward additionally misplaced time when his right-rear wheel was not instantly secured, dropping him to fifteenth. O’Ward fell to fifteenth in consequence.
The highest 5 after the primary cycle of pit stops had been Palou, Newgarden, Schumacher, Scott McLaughlin, and Foster.
Palou led the sector to the restart on lap 46 and instantly put a niche on Newgarden. In the meantime, VeeKay was the one making strikes on the restart, taking it three-wide on Schumacher and Foster to maneuver into fourth. VeeKay then moved as much as third the following lap after getting round McLaughlin.
In the meantime, Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard was additionally on the cost, pushing previous Foster and McLaughlin to maneuver into fourth on lap 55. Kirkwood was additionally on the transfer, as much as seventh and pressuring McLaughlin for sixth – the 2 made slight contact on lap 60.
Palou managed to construct a 2s lead over Newgarden by lap 62, however was already hitting backmarker site visitors.
Via 75 laps, Palou widened his benefit to three.5s over Newgarden, with VeeKay nonetheless in third and on his rear wing. Newgarden started to slip just a few laps later, falling to fourth as VeeKay and Lundgaard received round.
The primary driver to hit pit lane with a roll of the cube was Newgarden, who dove in for service on lap 84.
Josef Newgarden, Workforce Penske
Picture by: Gavin Baker / Lumen by way of Getty Pictures
VeeKay pulled to inside 1.0453s of Palou by lap 85, however dove to pit lane two laps later, together with Lundgaard, Foster, Scott Dixon and Felix Rosenqvist. Kirkwood and others additionally took to pit lane by lap 88. Palou lastly got here in on lap 89, and cycled again to the lead regardless of Newgarden’s undercut try.
Newgarden shortly misplaced second to VeeKay, who pulled an out of doors move on lap 95.
Palou continued to battle with backmarker site visitors, which introduced VeeKay alongside him in a side-by-side battle for the lead. Finally, VeeKay pulled off the move off flip 4 on lap 100.
After 110 laps, the highest 5 had been VeeKay, Palou, Kirkwood, Newgarden and Lundgaard.
By lap 115, VeeKay held a 0.6372s lead over Palou, with Kirkwood 1.8s behind and shutting.
The following cycle of pit stops got here on lap 122, with Will Energy, Newgarden, and David Malukas amongst these to come back in. In the meantime, Palou took the struggle to VeeKay and retook the lead earlier than pitting on lap 126. Kirkwood pitted the lap prior.
Via the cycle, Palou returned to the highest spot, with Energy now second, with Newgarden third. VeeKay dropped to seventh, immediately behind Kirkwood. Palou’s lead was 3.6050s over Energy on lap 131 following the completion of pit stops.
Malukas received by teammate Newgarden to take third by lap 137. McLaughlin was working fifth, giving Workforce Penske third, fourth and fifth.
It didn’t take lengthy for Malukas to proceed progressing, passing Energy with an inside move on lap 139 to take second. Palou led Malukas by 2.4190s by lap 140.
The warning got here out a lap later after Newgarden, working fifth, spun off flip 4, with the entrance wing hitting the surface wall earlier than his #2 Workforce Penske Chevrolet drifted down the monitor into the water barrels at pit entry. The injury was extreme sufficient that Newgarden exited the automobile.
With the pit stops open, many of the subject got here in except McLaughlin and Dixon. Energy received the race off pit lane, adopted by Palou, Malukas, and Kirkwood.
The highest 10 coming to the restart had been McLaughlin, Dixon, Energy, Palou, Malukas, Kirkwood, Lundgaard, Christian Rasmussen, O’Ward, and VeeKay.
McLaughlin led the sector to the restart on lap 157, however the warning got here out seconds later after Grosjean spun off flip 4 and clobbered the surface wall.
The restart occurred on lap 168, with McLaughlin pulling a niche on Energy. Whereas the sector was frantic behind, with a number of rivals shifting round lapped vehicles on the restart, Kirkwood dropped to tenth in consequence as Lundgaard made a daring three-wide transfer to leap to 3rd. Dixon fell all the way down to 14th.
In the meantime, Energy caught and handed McLaughlin for the lead on lap 175.
Dixon gave up on the alternate technique and dove to pit lane on lap 180.
Lundgaard moved by McLaughlin to take second, working 0.6850s behind Energy by lap 190. Kirkwood dove to pit lane from tenth. McLaughlin and Palou got here in two laps later, with Energy and Lundgaard stopping the next lap.
It was a gradual cease for Lundgaard, whereas Energy was hit with a drive-through penalty for dashing in pitlane.
O’Ward vaulted to the lead on lap 196. By lap 200, O’Ward held a 1.8146s lead over McLaughlin, with Lundgaard third, Palou fourth and Malukas working fifth.
With 40 laps to go, O’Ward’s lead was 1.0351s over McLaughlin.
O’Ward’s lead widened to 2s with 30 laps to go, with McLaughlin in second however solely 0.7s forward of Lundgaard.
The largest battle on monitor was for fourth, with Malukas pulling off an out of doors move on Palou with 23 laps to go.
O’Ward caught the backmarker of Energy, who fell to thirteenth after the pit lane violation, which allowed McLaughlin to reel within the chief.
O’Ward was lastly in a position to get by Energy with 15 laps to go.
With 10 laps to go, O’Ward’s hole to McLaughlin stood at 2.1650s because the chief lapped the Eleventh-place automobile of Alexander Rossi.
O’Ward was uncontested by way of the checkered, taking it over McLaughlin and Lundgaard.
Milwaukee Race 2 Outcomes
All Stats
1
5
250
2
3
250
0.792
3
7
250
1.954
4
12
250
0.543
5
10
250
8.755
6
27
250
5.487
7
76
250
1.169
8
C. Rasmussen Ed Carpenter Racing
21
250
4.084
9
28
250
1.300
10
L. Foster Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
45
250
2.778
11
20
249
12
14
249
0.504
13
47
249
2.329
14
26
249
0.516
15
9
249
2.261
16
66
249
15.891
17
N. Siegel Arrow McLaren
6
249
0.625
18
R. Robb Sting Juncos Hollinger Racing
77
248
19
8
248
20
60
248
21
19
248
22
15
247
23
4
246
24
18
155
25
2
150
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