Race Highlights 2026 INDYCAR at St Pete

It has been six months, but finally, finally, the fastest racing on earth is back. And the field paddles to green and we are racing in St. Pete. Scott McLachlan immediately going on the defensive. It's a good start from Marcus Ericsson. A good look up the inside from Dennis Hauger. Do they make it through cleanly? They all appear to do so, and Scott McLachlan holds the lead from the pole. And Hauger has lost one place, and that is to the champion, Alex Pelot. Big move, big move on the rookie, and that is another position gained. But a crash, and big crash behind. There's two cars in the barrier. Stingray Robb, I believe, is one of them. Full course yellow. Oh, and that is Mick Schumacher in there as well. So let's take a look at everybody weaving down into Turn 4. Keep your eyes towards the rear of the field. That's where it's all going to happen. You see that three-wide happen before. Okay, so it's Ferrucci and Stingray Robb side-by-side going in, and Mick Schumacher just an innocent bystander there. Once again, we're racing. Riding on board with the pole sitter and our race leader on the run down to Turn 1. Malukas with a big lock-up down into Turn 1. Almost contact from behind by Romain Grosjean as again they file through the tricky Turn 2 and Turn 3. And I'm hearing that Stingray Robb, who did manage to continue, will be given a penalty for avoidable contract. Yeah, easy call there for the stewards as we see a big lunge now. That's Will Power on the inside of Kiffin Simpson. He's on those hard tires, and you can tell on the exit trying to get back to power. David Malukas, meanwhile, has had contact to the left front. I'm not sure if that's just a flat spot issue. The flat spot may have worn all the way down. That massive flat spot we saw in Turn 1. Let's get a replay of that. Does he brush the wall? I think you're right, James. I think that's from the big lock-up we saw in Turn 1. And that flat spot just continued to develop into a much bigger issue. Will Power in pit lane, damaged rear suspension, seemingly out of the race after contact with the wall. What an unfortunate weekend for Will Power on his huge headline move to Andretti. So we ride on board with the driver of the 26 car. And it's Turn 10 where he crashed in practice. Unbelievable. This is the exact same crash as practice. Carbon copy. Marcus Ericsson on used soft tires as he comes down pit lane. We'll be looking for the car, the deck Chevy of Scott McLachlan. And there it is at the apex of 1. Ericsson exits the pits and will exit ahead of Scott McLachlan. That is essentially for the lead of the race. For now. Because Ericsson's tires are cold. Oh, my word. That's close. That is not the time to throw the big block, Marcus. Here comes McLachlan. He's not racing, Rossi. He should not have lost that much time. Now McLachlan's got one lap of heat in his tires. It's soft to soft. The tire compounds are even. But it's big pressure now to get off of Turn 9 right here for Ericsson. Can he do it clean? Ericsson needs to have eyes forward, but eyes in his mirrors. McLachlan will be all over him with his tires up to temperature. Can McLachlan make it through in 10? Has a look. Ericsson has it covered. Ericsson does that little bit of power. Ericsson hit the wall with his right rear. I think he'll be okay if he can hang on. It wasn't that hard of a hit. Ericsson will hold that position over Scott McLachlan. But critically, Alex Pelot has managed to stay out. And I think Marcus Armstrong has got ahead of both of them. Was that Armstrong leaving the pits? I think you're right. Here he goes. It was. Armstrong goes to defend. There is contact between them. But Ericsson barges his way past. Barges past, but loses part of his car on the way through. That's a critical move for Marcus Ericsson. This has been a dicey couple laps for Ericsson, but he managed to hang on. And now he's got cover because Armstrong's on cold tires. McLachlan is held up. This is so important for Ericsson to get away. McLachlan hunting him down through the turn and looking to 10. And Armstrong defends. McLachlan will have to go around the outside. You can't fit two down there. There is a touch. Armstrong somehow holds on. Armstrong holds on. How did McLachlan hold on? I have never seen an outside pass in 10 work. That was unreal. The Kiwi on the Kiwi. Meanwhile, guys, Alex Pelot on pit lane. The number 10 DHL car just stopped and serviced and leaving. This is about to get even more crazy as Pelot blends out. And Pelot blends out with ease. Far ahead of Marcus Ericsson. He's got almost the entire stretch of the run down to turn four. Wow. Oh, Dixon. Dixon's lost right rear. There you see the right rear bouncing further down the pit lane. Sitting up on there. That's going to be a full course caution. There it is. But let's see a replay. Dixon right out of the pits. Was down in turn four. You can see the wheel nut. There's the wheel nut. And that is a very uncharacteristic mistake on the pit stop. And he knows it. Look at him looking in his mirror. Dixon knows something's wrong right there. Oh, McLachlan's hungry now. Great exit of 10. Tucked up on his gearbox through the final corners. Let's see the exit. Good on the brakes. Really nice. Can he get the launch? That's a lovely exit. Way better. Nice draft. Two cars become one as McLachlan ducks out of the slipstream. Rolls up the inside. How late on the brakes dare he be? Late enough. And that second. Lovely stuff from Scott McLachlan. Now Ericsson under pressure from Armstrong. Kirkwood comes into pit. Ericsson defends from Armstrong. Big push towards the wall. But Armstrong fights his way past. Brakes too late. Ericsson continues on. The McLarens now will try to take advantage of it. Pato Award onto the back of Marcus Ericsson. That was a big push towards Marcus Armstrong who will be furious. Now big defense from Ericsson against the McLarens. And Award gets passed by Lundgaard. Christian Lundgaard making the move. And I really like the call to bring in Kyle Kirkwood and go for the undercut because Kirkwood was all jammed up here. And these guys have been driving so slowly fighting each other. This is really playing into Kirkwood's hands. Ericsson absolutely has his hands full. They've got to bring him in. Struggling now as Lundgaard fights. And Lundgaard takes the opportunity. That's marvelous from the McLaren man. Tidy through ten. Ericsson is struggling. They have to bring him in because now Award needs to move. Award wants the position. A couple of these blocks from Ericsson have looked pretty aggressive and might come under the review of race control, especially what happened down in turn one. Here comes Ericsson to pit lane along with Armstrong. Kyle Kirkwood coming through turn one. McLaughlin exits. They're going to blend right and pit out. This is going to be super close. Kirkwood is flying the fastest car on track right now. And he has fresh rubber. McLaughlin goes defensive. Forces Kirkwood to go the long way around. Can Kirkwood do it? Oh, it is almost a carbon copy of McLaughlin and Grosjean from a few years ago. But Kirkwood is smart to it and fights his way past. Twelve to go. Pelot leads six and a half seconds the gap. But critically, we have heard that Kirkwood may be marginal on fuel. He may not be able to push as hard as he would like. And that begs the question. Can Scott McLaughlin, can Christian Lundgaard get themselves into a fight for those final two podium positions? And now McLaughlin has a look. And now McLaughlin goes up on the inside of Kirkwood. That's second place back for McLaughlin. And can Lundgaard take advantage as well? They run side by side into the final sweep. And he does! It's third place for Christian Lundgaard. And Kirkwood drops from second to fourth. The best has returned better than ever. The question remains. How do you beat this man? Alex Pelot makes it. Back-to-back wins on the streets of St. Pete. McLaughlin still ahead of Lundgaard. Will hold him off to the line. The Pulsar that comes home second.