Scott McLaughlin, driving the No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevrolet, claimed pole position and led the initial 34 laps in the 2026 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg held in Florida. Finishing second, this marked his 23rd podium result powered by Chevrolet, showcasing a continued strong partnership. Christian Lundgaard, who earned six podiums for Team Chevy last season, led a lap in the race and completed the event in third place, further strengthening Chevrolet’s presence on the podium.
Five Chevrolet-powered drivers secured spots within the top ten, including Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet (5th), Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet (7th), and Rinus VeeKay in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Chevrolet (9th), along with McLaughlin and Lundgaard, affirming Chevrolet’s dominant showing at the street circuit.
Strong Chevrolet Performances During Warm-Up Session
In the morning warm-up prior to the race, Pato O’Ward led the field as he set the fastest lap in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet with a time of 61.5944 seconds (105.204 mph). His teammates, Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and Nolan Siegel in the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, also posted times placing them comfortably in the top six, signaling competitive form heading into race day.
Team Chevy Preparations and Upcoming Challenges
Following a successful weekend in St. Petersburg, Team Chevy drivers and crew will quickly turn their attention to the Good Ranchers 250 next weekend at Phoenix Raceway. This event will feature a quadruple-header alongside the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, presenting fresh challenges across varied racing formats.
Insights from Chevrolet Drivers on Their St. Petersburg Performances
“Good start for the DEX Chevy and the Thirsty Threes. Alex was super fast, but I think it’s a mixed bag of what tire you start on. If we come back here again, do you start on Reds and just get them out of the way. We made the passes that we needed to make at the right time, and I thought we maximized what we needed to do.”
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevrolet
“Our strategy was good; the car was really good. I think we missed it in qualifying. Ultimately, I just have to say thanks to Chevy and Arrow McLaren. We put so much into the off-season moving into a new shop. Pato and I were really fast there. It’s nice to get it done at the beginning of the year, so here we go!”
Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
“P5 was a good day for us. Obviously, we would have loved to have kept moving forward, but we were struggling a little bit there at the end with the race car. We’ll dive into it and see what we need to make better for the next street course race. Now it’s time to shift to oval mode going into Phoenix, and see what we can get done.”
Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
“Just what you need on a day like today-just execute. Pit stops were incredible. The best I’ve seen in years. The strategy was pretty standard, but it was a good day for our strategy. Just what we needed to do. Nothing went against us, and we tried to use our speed when we could to climb. You just have to be happy with a day like this. It’s a shame how tough the weekend was. I wish we could have had made more of it by starting up front.”
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet
“Really good race to start the season. Committed to a three stop, right away, and we nailed that. I think we really did all we could on that strategy. Yeah. A little bit of an unlucky yellow, at the middle of the race, kind of hit on the second pit window. I think it took some of our advantage away, our track position that we built on that three stop. I think we really maximized our race. Guys in pit lane were really quick. It’s been a good off season of practicing those, so good stuff. So got a few positions there. And then, we had a race car today, and we could really race. So that’s, something I’m very, very happy with. Makes my job a little easier. But I think altogether, the 76 Orion 180 Insurance team did a really good job. Really, you know, we maximized everything that today gave us, and, I think we, we’ve got a lot of good stuff going for us, especially with this first one out of the way.”
Rinus VeeKay, No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Chevrolet
“We made a mistake early on that made or tire explode and sent us to the back of the grid. Had a really strong recovery and got it back to P13, so we scavenged some sort of points. Not the start that we wanted, but I learned quite a bit. There is a lot of learning curves there from a race perspective. I think with the whole new crew, everything new, it is a big learning curve for the rest of the season. Not the start we wanted, but upward from here.”
David Malukas, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet
“I think it was definitely a good race. We ended up on a positive note, moved forward. I think the strategy, we maximized what we could do, to be honest, and some moves out on track as well, and kept out of trouble. We were quite quick on the blacks and I think on the Reds is something that I need to work on myself, just trying to see where the limit of the tire and how the balance shifts between black and reds, and what I need to be confident and extract the limit of the car on the red tire, I think it’s something that I need to work on my driving. But I think overall, it was a good Sunday after a so-so Saturday, to be honest. Really happy, and just big thanks to AJ Foyt Racing, Combitrans Amazonia and Chevrolet. I think we all did a pretty solid, solid Sunday. Happy to end the weekend on a positive note.”
Caio Collet, No. 4 COMBITRANS AMAZONA Chevrolet
“Overall, very mixed feelings about today. There were several positives, but it’s just a bummer that it feels so bad after such a bad result. We were really strong on the Firestone primaries, and the strategy was looking good. We caught a yellow that wasn’t helpful, and then our pace was just not there on the alternate. We built a foundation today but need to get better moving forward.”
Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
“Really a shame for the day. So sorry to the No. 77 crew. The Goodheart team. They worked hard to get us a good car. And, turn four lap one, I mean, I don’t know what to say yet. Have to go back and take a look, but really is a shame. I think we had good pace once we got back going again. But laps down, not much to do. So, moving on to the next one. Think we can learn, but I I am so sorry.”
Sting Ray Robb, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger – Goodheart Chevrolet
“With the track being as tight as it is in the brake zones and the track dirty, you just kind of have to be patient. You can’t really go anywhere until the field starts to separate. So, yeah, it’s just a shame, man.”
Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS Chevrolet
Race Strategies and Tire Management Under Spotlight During Press Conference
Scott McLaughlin reflected on the near-victory and challenging tire strategy that shaped the outcome of the race. He acknowledged that starting on red tires might have been preferable, but the team’s choice to begin on black tires was based on their best guess. Throughout the race, McLaughlin maximized opportunities, made decisive passes, and expressed confidence in his crew, including his new strategist who played a crucial role in race decisions.
Christian Lundgaard described how an off qualifying performance did not define his race day. Despite a qualifying misstep, his race setup performed well, allowing him to make ten successful on-track overtakes, a race record. He also highlighted the fruitful partnership with team members and the positive momentum from their new shop and preparations.
The duo discussed how Alex Palou’s race pace and strategy put him in a strong lead, finishing 12 seconds ahead. While McLaughlin and Lundgaard secured second and third podium spots, respectively, they emphasized the respectful yet competitive dynamics among teammates and rivals, including battles with drivers like Pato O’Ward and Kirkwood.
Chevrolet’s Comprehensive Effort and Looking Ahead to Phoenix
The teamwork and strategic executions by the Chevrolet-powered teams significantly influenced strong results at St. Petersburg. From swift pit stops praised as the best in years by Josef Newgarden to adaptive tire strategies under evolving race conditions, Chevrolet’s drivers played critical roles in securing their top-ten finishes. Despite some setbacks, such as David Malukas recovering from an early tire failure, most drivers ended the weekend with valuable insights and promising groundwork for the rest of the season.
With the momentum from their dominant performance on the streets of St. Petersburg, Team Chevy and its drivers will now focus on refining their strategies for the upcoming Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway. This next event will test their adaptability on oval tracks and provide further opportunities to advance championship aspirations.
