Scott McLaughlin lost control of his Team Penske No. 3 Chevrolet while navigating a hard left turn during practice ahead of the NTT IndyCar Series Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix on March 27, 2026, at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama.
The car spun off course and struck the barriers rear-end first, prompting an emergency response. Onboard footage captured McLaughlin raising his hands to his head as the loss of control began. Commentators estimated the speed at impact to be at least 150 mph (241 kph).
McLaughlin walked away from the wreckage under his own power and was reported uninjured.
The New Zealand driver, 32, competes full-time for Penske in his seventh IndyCar season after winning three Australian Supercars titles from 2018-2020.[1]
McLaughlin has recorded seven career IndyCar victories, including the 2023 Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park.[2] He finished second in the 2023 drivers' standings and third in 2024.[1]
Barber Motorsports Park is a 2.38-mile (3.83-km), 17-turn road course that has hosted an IndyCar round annually since 2010.[3]
McLaughlin's best finish at the Indianapolis 500 is sixth place in 2024, when he qualified third on the grid.[4]
Sources
- NTT IndyCar Series, "Scott McLaughlin", accessed October 2024, https://www.indycar.com/Drivers/Scott-McLaughlin
- NTT IndyCar Series, "McLaughlin prevails in thriller at Barber Motorsports Park", April 2, 2023, https://www.indycar.com/news/2023/04/04-02-mclaughlin-barber
- Barber Motorsports Park, "Track Info", accessed October 2024, https://barbermotorsports.com/track-info/
- NTT IndyCar Series, "2024 Indianapolis 500 Results", May 26, 2024, https://www.indycar.com/news/2024/05/05-26-indy-500-results
