After Team Penske’s 10th career 1-2-3 NTT INDYCAR SERIES podium sweep and first since 2017, all three of Roger Penske’s drivers climbed in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Power Rankings following the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR on June 9.
Will Power won, with Josef Newgarden second and Scott McLaughlin third at the beloved Wisconsin road course.
↑10. Marcus Ericsson (No. 28 Delaware Life Honda; Last Rank: NR)
Ericsson is starting to heat up. The Andretti Global driver finished runner-up June 2 in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear and then climbed from 15th to finish ninth in Sunday’s XPEL Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR.
↓9. Marcus Armstrong (No. 11 Ridgeline Lubricants Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 7)
Armstrong entered Sunday’s race at Road America with two top-five finishes in three races, including a career-best result of third in the last race on the streets of Detroit. He responded by qualifying a career-best second at Road America. An opening-lap spin and then a mechanical problem for the second time in three races relegated Armstrong to 26th. The roller coaster season leaves him in the top 10 of the Power Rankings, but barely.
↑8. Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda; Last Rank: NR)
Herta had a car capable of a victory in the last three NTT INDYCAR SERIES races. However, the results show a crash and 23rd-place finish in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, a 19th-place result after driving into the Turn 5 runoff area at Detroit, an event where he earned NTT P1 Award honors, then a hard-fought sixth-place finish at Road America. Herta qualified second at Road America but was spun on the opening lap in the first corner. The comeback allows Herta to make a return in the Power Rankings with five top-10 finishes in seven races this season.
↑7. Josef Newgarden (No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank 9)
This one is hard to quantify. Newgarden climbed to second in the Power Rankings following a second consecutive victory in the Indianapolis 500 on May 26. He then finished 26th at Detroit. Newgarden came to Road America with an average finish of 16.6 over the last 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races dating back to the final four races of the 2023 season, ranking him 16th among the 18 drivers to compete in all 10 races. In the 55-lap race at Road America, Newgarden led 10 laps in a runner-up effort. With a pair of top-two finishes in the last three races, Newgarden climbs two spots.
↓6. Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 2)
Road America was a miserable weekend for Dixon. The two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES victor this season, who won as recently as June 2 at Detroit, qualified 10th and finished 21st at Road America.
↑5. Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 8)
O’Ward ascends to the top five following a runner-up finish in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, climbing from 12th to seventh at Detroit and 11th to eighth last Sunday at Road America.
↑4. Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 AutoNation Honda; Last Rank: 5)
Another week, another climb for Kirkwood. He improved three spots between the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge to the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear after a fourth-place result on the Detroit streets. This week, Kirkwood improves another spot in power rankings following a second straight top-five finish with a fifth-place result at Road America.
↑3. Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 6)
Following a drop of three spots in the Power Rankings after a 20th-place finish at Detroit, McLaughlin climbs back to third. Outside of street course finishes of 27th (St. Petersburg), 26th (Long Beach) and 20th (Detroit), McLaughlin has finishes of sixth (Indianapolis 500), first (Barber Motorsports Park), sixth (Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis) and third (Road America).
↑2. Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 3)
For the second consecutive race, Power ascends one spot in the rankings, jumping from third to second. Power ended a 34-race winless drought at Road America, scoring his sixth top-six finish in seven races this season. Power catapulted from third in the points standings to the championship lead entering the off weekend.
↔1. Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 1)
Palou had a bounce-back performance at Road America with a fourth-place finish. Over the last 26 starts, including The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge, Palou has 25 top-eight results. The only exception was 16th two weekends ago at Detroit. Palou has been atop these Power Rankings for the last seven races, since he won The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge in late March. He was off the No. 1 spot only after the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding.