McLaughlin’s ‘special talent’ on show; Dixon hunts down AJ Foyt
SCOTT McLaughlin’s race engineer sees his Kiwi driver as ‘‘the total package’’ as he chases an unlikely IndyCar title in just his second season in the United States.
Ben Bretzman knows what it takes to win, guiding Simon Pagenaud to the 2016 IndyCar title and the 2019 Indy 500 chequered flag.
Now he has McLaughlin under his wing at the powerful Team Penske and realises he has someone special on the wheel.
McLaughlin heads into the season finale at Monterey in California tomorrow, as the longshot of the five drivers with a title chance. Team-mate Will Power is best placed with a 20-point cushion over Kiwi veteran Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden, with Marcus Ericsson just ahead of McLaughlin.
McLaughlin has had some thrilling duels with Dixon this season, and it wouldn’t surprise to see them both in the mix again at Laguna Seca, where Dixon will look to snare a record-equalling seventh IndyCar title, joining the great AJ Foyt.
Calculators will be needed for the many mathematical possibilities to the finish of a pulsating season, but McLaughlin has already proved his worth and appears to be a champion-in-waiting some time down the line.
He has been the form driver on the home straight of this season, totally in tune with his car, recording 3, 4, 2, 3, 1 finishes in his last five races. He has three race wins, two seconds and two thirds this year.
Bretzman says only a victory on an oval track has eluded McLaughlin but is sure that will come.
‘‘He’s a special talent,’’ Bretzman told Racer.com about McLaughlin.
‘‘He picks up on things really well. He picks up on how everything works, and he learns every time there’s an opportunity. That’s what you want; if you make a mistake, you learn from it, and he’s been learning since day one here. He’s been pretty special on the ovals, too.
‘‘We’ve just got to get the win for him. ‘‘That’s the last new thing for him to win because he’s done it once on a street course and now twice on permanent road courses. We arguably could have won twice on ovals this year, and he came so close at Texas, so there isn’t really any doubt that he’s got the whole package. It’s all there now.’’
McLaughlin’s hot streak is no coincidence as his relationship with his crew has solidified.
‘‘Since the mid-part of the season, we know exactly what kind of cars he drives at what types of circuits. How he uses the tyres, and how the temperature of the tyres get affected by how he drives and manages the race, is pretty incredible,’’ Bretzman told Racer.com.
‘‘Really, since Detroit this year, we made a mistake there, and from that point forward, he’s been the hottest driver out here.
‘‘You look at the last eight races, I think, he’s either first or second in earning points. He’s really, really strong. He’s got it all and makes me thankful I get to work with him.’’
Bretzman says McLaughlin’s easygoing nature belies hard-nosed driving talent.
‘‘I’m just surprised with the recollection of it all and how well he holds on to the information. He misses nothing. Because he puts on a fun, jovial, golfing guy, right? A total bro, and all that stuff. But he remembers it all. He knows what he’s supposed to do. He’s doing a really good job. Super proud of him.’’
‘He’s been learning since day one here.’ BEN BRETZMAN