Pato O’Ward etched his title into racing lore at The Milwaukee Mile by sweeping the Milwaukee doubleheader to turn into the primary IndyCar driver since Rick Mears in 1981 to win two races on the identical day.
By taking each checkered flags in his #5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, the 27-year-old Mexican driver grew to become simply the seventh driver in IndyCar historical past to perform the feat, becoming a member of a seven-driver record of legends that features Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Dan Gurney, Johnny Rutherford and Mears.
But, regardless of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the game’s biggest drivers, O’Ward stays centered on defining his personal legacy.
“These are heavy names. You then hear mine, you are like, ‘What?’” O’Ward stated. “Truthfully, man, I am simply writing my very own story. I actually do not know what’s in retailer for my IndyCar profession. To date I’ve devoted my entire life to this. I at all times actually dedicate myself to all the things that I do to one of the best of my capacity. I am one hungry competitor. I like to go on the market and compete and to problem.”
That single-minded focus was on full show all through a relentless day of racing. Within the rain-delayed Race 1, which finally completed after Race 2 had already been accomplished, O’Ward led a race-high 119 laps, seizing the win after passing Staff Penske’s David Malukas on a ultimate restart with 19 laps remaining.
“David did an exceptional job. Nobody was going to catch him. He was doing such an amazing job by site visitors. He was on fireplace,” O’Ward stated. “I instructed him, man, this story is nearly starting for him. He is in a implausible group. He is an incredible driver. He is nice on and off the observe. Every time they begin raining on him, he’ll be like, they [victories] are very candy, a lot sweeter.”
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
Picture by: Penske Leisure
When requested if he frightened about catching Malukas had the race stayed inexperienced, O’Ward was extra aware of not forcing something.
“Oh, no,” O’Ward stated. “I used to be simply sort of like, I can not actually get too artistic right here. Actually, I simply needed to let one thing come to me. That is what finally gave me the chance. I’ve had that problem, what David had. I additionally misplaced a race. It sucks.”
In Race 2, O’Ward led 55 laps, holding off Staff Penske’s Scott McLaughlin to safe his third win on the Milwaukee Mile and his third victory of 2026.
“We had been decided immediately,” O’Ward stated. “We had been decided to maintain ourselves within the combat, maintain ourselves within the alternative of something that got here our means that we might make the most of. I am tremendous happy with all people. Tremendous happy with Staff Chevy. It has been an enormous weekend for them. Clearly very proud that I used to be in a position to convey two dubs for them. For Arrow McLaren, like I stated, it has been such a difficult 12 months on the ovals for me. This closes it out precisely how I had it in my thoughts coming into the weekend.”
The sweep highlights an all-or-nothing season for O’Ward, whose solely three podium appearances this 12 months have all been victories.
“It has been fairly loopy. I’ve three podiums, however all three of them have been a win,” O’Ward stated. “Earlier than the final yellow after I was behind Malukas, I used to be like, the 2 podiums I’ve had have each been wins. It will suck for the third one to be a second. Racing gods heard me.”
The 100-point-plus haul elevated O’Ward into fourth within the championship standings (503 factors), trailing Arrow McLaren team-mate Christian Lundgaard (507) by simply 4 factors for second place total coming into subsequent weekend’s season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Lumen through Getty Photos
“Coming into this weekend realizing there have been 100 factors on the desk, having automotive right here was essential to having a shot at second within the championship,” O’Ward stated.
“I do not even know the place I am at proper now, however fairly positive I am going into Laguna with a correct shot at being second within the championship once more, which I did final 12 months. I like that chance. I would love to finish it like that and sort of simply choose it again up as a result of, like I stated, the remainder of the 12 months I felt somewhat little bit of a misplaced pet actually.”
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