Scott McLaughlin lost control of his Team Penske Chevrolet No. 3 while navigating a hard left turn during practice for the NTT IndyCar Series Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Alabama, on March 27, 2026. The car veered off course and struck the wall rear-end first, with commentators estimating a speed of at least 150 mph at impact.
The incident prompted an emergency response, but McLaughlin was able to exit the wreckage on his own power and walk away uninjured. Onboard video captured the New Zealand driver raising his hands to his head as the car began to slide.
McLaughlin races full-time for Team Penske in the NTT IndyCar Series, where he made his series debut at the 2020 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.[1]
He has recorded four series victories, including the 2023 Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park.[2][3]
In the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series standings, McLaughlin placed third overall.[4] His best Indianapolis 500 finish is third place in 2022; he started from pole position in 2024 but finished 11th.[5][6]
Barber Motorsports Park, located in Leeds, Alabama, features a 2.38-mile, 17-turn road course that has hosted an IndyCar round annually since 2010.[7]
Sources
- NTT IndyCar Series. "Scott McLaughlin". Accessed October 2024. https://www.indycar.com/Drivers/Scott-McLaughlin
- NTT IndyCar Series. "IndyCar Statistical Report - 2023 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama". April 2, 2023. https://www.indycar.com/content/default/reports/2023/04/02GPBARBER03.pdf
- IndyCar.com. "McLaughlin earns first IndyCar victory at Barber". April 2, 2023. https://www.indycar.com/news/2023/04/04-02-mclaughlin-barber-win
- NTT IndyCar Series. "2023 NTT IndyCar SERIES Final Driver Standings". September 10, 2023. https://www.indycar.com/Stats/2023/FinalStandings
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "2024 Indianapolis 500 Results". May 26, 2024. https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/eventinfo/2024/results
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "2024 Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Results". May 26, 2024. https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/eventinfo/2024/qualifying-results
- Barber Motorsports Park. "Track Information". Accessed October 2024. https://barbermotorsports.com/track-information/
