Arrow McLaren’s Christain Lundgaard was victorious in an XPEL Grand Prix at Highway 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 Crew Penske’s David Malukas on a last lap restart en path to the win.
It was Lundgaard’s second win of the 2026 IndyCar season, serving to his trigger within the championship combat the place he sits fourth, 77 factors behind chief Alex Palou (374-297).
With out additional delay, listed here 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 a large 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 tougher primaries to a recent set of softer alternates – and made it out forward of then-race chief Palou.
Race strategist Kyle Moyer pivoted brilliantly and was capable of lean into the subsequent 4 cautions to place Lundgaard, who began twelfth, in a podium spot. Then, when Armstrong’s problem confirmed up, Lundgaard was within the good place to pounce earlier than it introduced out the warning.
Loser: Pato O’Ward / Nolan Siegel
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
For all that Lundgaard did positively, his Arrow McLaren teammates Pato O’Ward and Nolan Siegel ended up on the flawed finish of the spectrum. From that standpoint, maybe there ought to be some credit score to Arrow McLaren for masking all methods in what grew to become a fancy race that had many. Although each Siegel and O’Ward certified within the prime 10, beginning seventh and ninth, respectively, neither transformed it right into a prime 10.
Contemplating the problems Lundgaard battled again from, it’s a curious case why O’Ward, particularly, was unable to capitalize. Whereas this race may very well be seen 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 flawed 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 observe and was combating for a prime 10 earlier than being punted by Crew Penske’s Josef Newgarden on the ultimate lap. Quite a lot of this comes all the way down to the outcome, which was twenty first for Siegel. If Siegel can block out the outcome and concentrate on the efficiency – and never put himself right into a place to get punted late – then there’s some positivity he can string collectively some sturdy outcomes on the again half of a essential contract season.
Winner: Alexander Rossi
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing
Photograph by: Gavin Baker / Lumen by way of Getty Photographs
There was little considered how sturdy ECR or Alexander Rossi can be on the 4.014-mile, 14-turn pure terrain street course, particularly contemplating he certified twenty fifth they usually had but to snag a prime 10 end on the particular observe disciple. And that was furthered a bit in the course of the race when teammate Christian Rasmussen suffered a mechanical problem and was parked on the frontstetch after simply 28 laps.
Nonetheless, Rossi didn’t succumb to the same destiny and was capable of combat via 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 12 months, together with the one hundred and tenth Operating of the Indianapolis 500 that was gained by teammate Felix Rosenqvist. As a substitute, he’s nonetheless trying to find his maiden victory in North America’s premier open-wheel championship.
There must be a way of delight, although, in that New Zealand native Armstrong continues to place himself in place to win. He executed a near-flawless weekend: sturdy in practices (main Friday’s opening trial), qualifying third, and was 4 laps away from the win earlier than the mechanical failure, which Honda Racing Company US (HRC US) boss David Salters took blame for and issued an apology.
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 in addition 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
Photograph by: Michael L. Levitt / Lumen by way of Getty Photographs
Till additional discover, Palou is the proprietor of the golden horseshoe.
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 begin 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 appeared 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 combat for the win.
Every part appeared to alter when Palou pitted on Lap 29 and acquired a drive-thru penalty for dashing, however that second of alternative for his rivals was temporary when the warning got here out the subsequent lap when Rasmussen was stranded on the frontstretch.
Even with the error, Palou was capable of play injury management and rally to complete fifth and nonetheless gapping prime 5 title rivals Kyle Kirkwood, who completed twelfth, and O’Ward, whereas Lundgaard and Malukas gained minimal floor.
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