INDYCAR Power Rankings: Pato O’Ward Surges After Sweeping Milwaukee

The doubleheader at The Milwaukee Mile was certainly unique. INDYCAR started a race on Saturday but then had to suspend it because of rain. It then conducted an entire race early Sunday afternoon before finishing the Saturday race in the early evening … on Sunday. And also unique — Pato O’Ward won both races. That vaulted him back into these power rankings, an indication of how much his season has been a disappointment. Alex Palou clinched the INDYCAR title to add to his collection of four titles he had earned in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. So you can imagine where he remains in these power rankings. Here are my power rankings going into the season finale Sunday at Laguna Seca, a road course in Monterey, Calif. Dropped out: Kyffin Simpson (Last Week: 8) On the verge: Scott Dixon, Louis Foster, Kyffin Simpson Power did not have a good day at Milwaukee, as he had a pit-road speeding penalty in the Sunday race and then wrecked when trying to get by Nolan Siegel in the finale Sunday night. Newgarden wrecked in the Sunday race and then rebounded to finish seventh in the finale Sunday evening. He had hoped for more at a short oval but he was never all that happy with the car. Ericsson, who had a win and a fourth in his last two starts, had a ninth and an eighth in the two Milwaukee races. It wasn’t great, but it was a pair of respectable days. It also helps that he was the best Andretti Global car in the finale. VeeKay enjoyed his first podium on an oval. He finished third on Sunday evening, which was a great result and not a total surprise after he finished seventh — and led 25 laps — in the race Sunday afternoon. What a weekend for O’Ward. He swept Milwaukee and became the first driver to win two races in one day since 1981. That was back when the series had some regularly scheduled “twin” sprint races. He had four finishes outside the top 10 in his last seven starts before Milwaukee. Following his victory at Washington, Kirkwood’s weekend got off to a sour start with a wreck with Christian Rasmussen in practice Friday. He was sixth and 15th, dropping to third in the standings. Malukas had a solid weekend with a fourth and a second, but the second was a disappointment when he lost the lead in the finale on the last restart. But that gives him eight top-five finishes in the 17 races this year. McLaughlin also had a second and a fourth in the two Milwaukee events. For a driver who hasn’t won in two years, it’s good to know you are knocking on the door. He has six top-five finishes this year. Lundgaard had a third and a sixth in the Milwaukee races. Quite good for someone who has had his oval performance questioned. Does it matter where he finished at Milwaukee? A fifth and 10th were high enough for him to clinch his fourth consecutive crown and his fifth in the last six years. One day, he won’t be No. 1 at the end of a season, but it’s hard to see when that day will come.