Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin put this week firmly behind him as he defended his Barber Motorsports Park win from 2023 to claim his first win of the season in the Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park. The New Zealander said that they just executed well as he claimed pole for the race and led 58 of the 90 lap race to make it three different race winners this season.
Will Power in the No.12 Verizon Business Chevrolet who started the race from second came home in second place while Chip Ganassi Racing’s rookie Linus Lundqvist scored his first-career podium finish in the No.8 Be The One Honda. Felix Rosenqvist in the No.60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda continued the team’s great start to the season as he came home in fourth place.
Alex Palou in the No.10 Ridgeline Lubricants Honda came home in fifth place just ahead of Christian Lundgaard while it was a fantastic day for AJ Foyt Racing with Santino Ferrucci having finished the race inside the top ten in seventh giving the team a great platform to build on heading into the month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Team President Larry Foyt told Paddock Eye on Saturday that he felt that the team had the package to finish in the top ten and that is exactly what they did.
Colton Herta was eighth just ahead of Marcus Armstrong while Kyle Kirkwood rounded out the top ten for Andretti Global. Graham Rahal finished the race just outside the top ten in 11th place just ahead of Romain Grosjean while Jack Harvey had a great day for Dale Coyne Racing as he came home in 13th place.
Kyffin Simpson ended the race in 14th, just ahead of his teammate Scott Dixon, who spun in the early stages of the race after an incident with Graham Rahal. Josef Newgarden was 16th, just ahead of Rinus VeeKay and Marcus Ericsson, while Tom Blomqvist ended the race in 19th, just ahead of Agustin Canapino, who rounded out the top twenty.
Luca Ghiotto was 21st just ahead of Pato O’Ward following a disappointing day for Arrow McLaren. Theo Pourchaire was 23rd and the last of the runners as Alexander Rossi retired from the race as a result of losing his left rear wheel while Christian Rasmussen was also forced to retire from the race. Sting Ray Robb and PIetro Fittipaldi was 27th.