Scott McLaughlin

Scott McLaughlin Bio

Scott Thomas McLaughlin, born 10 June 1993, is a New Zealand and American racing driver who competes in the IndyCar Series for Team Penske. He drives the No. 3 Dallara-Chevrolet and is recognized as one of the most successful drivers to cross over from touring car racing to open-wheel competition in recent years.

McLaughlin first rose to international attention in the Supercars Championship, where he captured three consecutive drivers’ titles in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Since then, he has built a strong reputation in North American motorsport, becoming a regular podium contender in IndyCar while also being named Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year in 2021.

Early Life and Background

Scott Thomas McLaughlin was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 10 June 1993. When he was three years old, his family relocated to Hamilton, and six years later they moved again to Australia’s Gold Coast. He attended Saint Stephen’s College during his upbringing, growing up surrounded by the motorsport culture that thrives on the Gold Coast.

McLaughlin began racing karts in 1999 at the Kartsport Hamilton circuit outside Hamilton, New Zealand, and won his first title in 2002. After his family moved to Australia in 2003, he continued to compete in both New Zealand and Australian karting events. By 2008, he represented New Zealand in the Junior class at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, racing alongside future open-wheel standout Nick Cassidy.

Through a Britek Motorsport scholarship in 2008, McLaughlin began working with Supercars race winner Jason Bright and attended the Bathurst 1000. The experience exposed him to professional team operations and shaped his ambitions to race at the highest levels of touring car competition.

Path to NASCAR

McLaughlin does not have a documented career path through NASCAR’s national series. His professional progression moved from Australian V8 Supercar development categories into the Supercars Championship and then directly into IndyCar with Team Penske, where he competes in open-wheel racing rather than stock cars.

Scott McLaughlin Career

Early Career (2010-2012)

McLaughlin signed with Stone Brothers Racing in late 2009 and was offered a four-year apprenticeship with the team starting in 2010. He made his debut in the second round of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series at Queensland Raceway, becoming the youngest driver ever to race a V8 Supercar, and finished the season twelfth in the championship.

In 2011, McLaughlin secured his first podium in the opening round at Adelaide and claimed his maiden race victory at Queensland Raceway. He also won the inaugural V8 SuperTourer Series championship in 2012 driving for MPC Motorsport, capturing six race wins along the way. Later that year, he won the 2012 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series after a tense title battle remembered as the Series’ “Class of 2012.”

Supercars Championship Breakthrough (2013-2016)

McLaughlin made his Supercars Championship debut at the 2012 Sandown 500 as a co-driver for Jonathon Webb at Tekno Autosports. He was then signed by Garry Rogers Motorsport for a full-time drive in 2013, where he took his first victory in just the sixth race of the season, becoming the youngest driver ever to win a Supercars Championship race. He finished his rookie year in tenth place overall.

During 2014, Garry Rogers Motorsport transitioned into Volvo Polestar Racing, marking Volvo’s return to the series. McLaughlin scored podium finishes at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide and added four race wins across Barbagallo, Sydney Motorsport Park, and Phillip Island. Across his time with the team he accumulated seventeen pole positions and eight victories, with a best championship result of third in 2016.

DJR Team Penske Era (2017-2020)

In July 2016, it was announced that McLaughlin would join DJR Team Penske for the 2017 Supercars Championship, partnering Fabian Coulthard. He responded with sixteen pole positions and eight race victories, finishing runner-up to Jamie Whincup in a title fight decided in the final race of the season.

In 2018, McLaughlin won seven of the 34 races to claim his first Supercars championship. The following year, he dominated with a record eighteen victories, including his first Bathurst 1000 win alongside co-driver Alexandre Prémat, and secured the title with a round to spare. In 2020, in a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, he added thirteen more wins to claim a third straight championship, finishing his Supercars career with three titles and 56 race wins from 253 starts.

Team Penske IndyCar Era (2021-Present)

Team Penske announced in 2020 that McLaughlin would move to the IndyCar Series for 2021. He made his debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in October 2020 and signed a multi-year deal the day before the race. PPG Paints served as his primary sponsor in his rookie season, and he was named Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after qualifying seventeenth and running inside the top ten before a pit-lane speeding penalty dropped him to twentieth.

In 2022, McLaughlin became a championship contender, winning at St. Petersburg, Mid-Ohio, and Portland while taking three pole positions and finishing fourth in the standings. He won once in 2023 at Barber Motorsports Park and ended the year third in the championship as Team Penske’s highest scorer. In 2024, he added wins at Barber, Iowa Race 1, and Milwaukee Race 2, securing another third-place championship result and his best Indianapolis 500 showing with a sixth-place finish after starting on pole.

Driving Style and Strengths

McLaughlin is widely regarded as a polished qualifier and a fast, consistent racer across both touring car and open-wheel formats. His Supercars success was built on aggressive qualifying pace, including sixteen poles in 2017, while in IndyCar he has shown particular strength on oval tracks, where the qualifying format and tire behavior suit his background. His partnership with Team Penske has given him access to elite engineering and strategy resources that have helped him adapt to IndyCar’s demands.

Notable Races and Milestones

McLaughlin’s signature moments include his first Supercars victory in 2013, his three consecutive Supercars titles, his emotional 2019 Bathurst 1000 triumph, his first IndyCar win at St. Petersburg in 2022, and his first oval victory at Iowa in 2024. He is also a three-time Supercars champion, an Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, and a seven-time IndyCar race winner.

Scott McLaughlin Career Wins

Scott McLaughlin has built a versatile win record that spans touring cars and open-wheel competition, with championships and race victories across two continents.

Supercars Championship Highlights

McLaughlin recorded 56 race wins from 253 starts in the Supercars Championship, along with 106 podium finishes and 76 pole positions. His first victory came in 2013 at the sixth race of his rookie season, and his most recent Supercars wins came during his 2020 title campaign, which included thirteen victories. Three championships in 2018, 2019, and 2020, plus a Bathurst 1000 win in 2019, define his Supercars legacy.

IndyCar Highlights

McLaughlin has seven IndyCar wins, 23 podiums, and 12 pole positions. His first IndyCar victory came at the 2022 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and his most recent win came in the second race of the 2024 Milwaukee double header. Best finishes of third in the championship came in both 2023 and 2024.

Other Wins and Performances

McLaughlin won the 2012 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series and the inaugural V8 SuperTourer Series championship that same year. He also represented New Zealand at the 2008 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in karting.

Scott McLaughlin Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

McLaughlin was raised by his family in Christchurch, Hamilton, and later on Australia’s Gold Coast. His parents supported his early karting career, which began at age six in Hamilton, and the family relocated to Australia to further his racing opportunities. Details about his parents’ names or specific racing lineage are not publicly documented.

Personal Life

McLaughlin is married to Karly Paone, a schoolteacher from Long Island, New York. The couple met by chance in 2016 in Las Vegas, married in 2020, and now live in North Carolina to be closer to Team Penske’s headquarters. Their daughter, Lucy Violet McLaughlin, was born on October 10, 2024. McLaughlin became a naturalized United States citizen on April 29, 2025.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 IndyCar season has been a challenging one for Scott McLaughlin and Team Penske. The year began under a cloud after Team Penske was penalized for illegally manipulating ECU software during the 2024 season finale at St. Petersburg, a decision that affected McLaughlin’s prior result. Despite this, McLaughlin remained focused on producing strong performances in the No. 3 Dallara-Chevrolet.

McLaughlin’s 2025 campaign was marked by a heavy crash during the pace laps of the 109th Indianapolis 500, an incident that ended his day before the race even started. The crash was a significant setback, but Team Penske continued to support him as he worked to rebound in the remaining rounds of the schedule.

With the season still in progress, McLaughlin’s experience on ovals, highlighted by his 2024 wins at Iowa and Milwaukee, gives him a clear path to recovery. His partnership with Team Penske remains central to his ambitions of contending for the Astor Cup and adding to his seven career IndyCar victories.