Arrow McLaren’s Christain Lundgaard was victorious in an XPEL Grand Prix at Street America was about as manic as anybody may probably have fathomed.
The Danish driver went from a damaged entrance wing and tire puncture at the beginning of the opening lap, took the lead with 4 laps to go from the mechanically wounded #66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda of Marcus Armstrong, after which needed to fend off Workforce Penske’s David Malukas on a ultimate lap restart en path to the win.
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It was Lundgaard’s second win of the 2026 IndyCar season, serving to his trigger within the championship battle the place he sits fourth, 77 factors behind chief Alex Palou (374-297).
With out additional delay, listed below are the winners and losers from a wild one in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Winner: Christian Lundgaard
Generally it’s higher to be fortunate than good. Lundgaard was a little bit of each on Sunday. What may have been full devastation on the opening lap, which may have delivered an enormous hit to any remaining championship hopes, flipped courtesy of a race that featured 5 cautions. A few pivotal factors was that he made it round to pit lane for a brand new entrance wing and new tires – swapping from broken more durable primaries to a contemporary set of softer alternates – and made it out forward of then-race chief Palou.
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Race strategist Kyle Moyer pivoted brilliantly and was in a position to lean into the subsequent 4 cautions to place Lundgaard, who began twelfth, in a podium spot. Then, when Armstrong’s challenge confirmed up, Lundgaard was within the excellent place to pounce earlier than it introduced out the warning.
Loser: Pato O’Ward / Nolan Siegel Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
For all that Lundgaard did positively, his Arrow McLaren teammates Pato O’Ward and Nolan Siegel ended up on the mistaken finish of the spectrum. From that standpoint, maybe there needs to be some credit score to Arrow McLaren for masking all methods in what grew to become a posh race that had many. Even though each Siegel and O’Ward certified within the high 10, beginning seventh and ninth, respectively, neither transformed it right into a high 10.
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Contemplating the problems Lundgaard battled again from, it’s a curious case why O’Ward, specifically, was unable to capitalize. Whereas this race could possibly be considered as an outlier, in some ways it summarized the season for each, with Lundgaard now holding two wins and 4 podiums on the season, whereas the Mexican has but to discover a single step on the rostrum. O’Ward completed twelfth after being on the mistaken finish of the technique.
As for Siegel, it’s admittedly harsh to place him on this listing contemplating he was having fun with his greatest total weekend in IndyCar thus far, having certified quickest amongst his teammates, displaying constant tempo in follow and was combating for a high 10 earlier than being punted by Workforce Penske’s Josef Newgarden on the ultimate lap. Lots of this comes right down to the outcome, which was twenty first for Siegel. If Siegel can block out the outcome and deal with the efficiency – and never put himself right into a place to get punted late – then there’s some positivity he can string collectively some robust outcomes on the again half of a important contract season.
Winner: Alexander Rossi Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing
There was little considered how robust ECR or Alexander Rossi could be on the 4.014-mile, 14-turn pure terrain street course, particularly contemplating he certified twenty fifth and so they had but to snag a high 10 end on the particular monitor disciple. And that was furthered a bit through the race when teammate Christian Rasmussen suffered a mechanical challenge and was parked on the frontstetch after simply 28 laps.
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Nonetheless, Rossi didn’t succumb to an analogous destiny and was in a position to battle by way of a demanding afternoon to complete sixth – matching his greatest end of the season and ending a run of 4 consecutive outcomes of seventeenth or worse.
Loser: Marcus Armstrong
If Armstrong didn’t have unhealthy luck, he could be sitting on two wins this yr, together with the a hundred and tenth Operating of the Indianapolis 500 that was received by teammate Felix Rosenqvist. As a substitute, he’s nonetheless looking for his maiden victory in North America’s premier open-wheel championship.
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There needs to be a way of satisfaction, although, in that New Zealand native Armstrong continues to place himself in place to win. He executed a near-flawless weekend: robust in practices (main Friday’s opening trial), qualifying third, and was 4 laps away from the win earlier than the mechanical failure, which .
It’s one other harsh name to place Amrstrong on this listing as, just like Siegel, the outcome was finally one thing out of his management. After such a promising weekend and on the cusp of not solely his first-ever win but additionally first podium of 2026, ending twenty fourth hurts sufficient that he fell out of the highest 10 of the general standings; he sits eleventh.
The Golden Horseshoe: Alex Palou Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Till additional discover, Palou is the proprietor of the golden horseshoe.
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There have been some ominous ideas the race was over earlier than it started after the Spaniard captured the pole – one thing that hasn’t occurred because the late Alex Zanardi captured six straight (4 on the finish of 1996 and two to start out the 1997 season) – by greater than two-tenths of a second over Maluakas. The #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda of Palou was solidly out entrance for the opening 13 laps and seemed to be en route to a different masterclass earlier than the cautions struck. And even then, he was on a sequence that appeared to have him within the battle for the win.
The whole lot appeared to vary when Palou pitted on Lap 29 and obtained a drive-thru penalty for dashing, however that second of alternative for his rivals was transient when the warning got here out the subsequent lap when Rasmussen was stranded on the frontstretch.
Even with the error, Palou was in a position to play harm management and rally to complete fifth and nonetheless gapping high 5 title rivals Kyle Kirkwood, who completed twelfth, and O’Ward, whereas Lundgaard and Malukas gained minimal floor.
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