"Felt like I was in a trance" - Scott McLaughlin recalls the moment he made history at the Indy 500

Scott McLaughlin was IndyCar's best qualifier in the 2024 season, taking a series-high five pole positions. His biggest moment came at the Indy 500, with a historic pole lap speed that no driver in IndyCar history had ever touched. The Team Penske driver recently opened up about the "indescribable" feeling of pushing his car to the extreme on that fateful day.

McLaughlin arrived into the Indy 500 qualifying weekend, having already scored his first pole position and victory at Barber two race weekends back. Little did the IndyCar world know that the New Zealand driver would set a 4-lap average of 234.22 mph to create a new pole record at the "Greatest Spectacle of Racing".

In a recent interview with @IndyCarRadio, Scott McLaughlin shared the emotions he went through during that run.

"It's indescribable," he said. "It was incredible, the feeling I had. I felt like I was in a trance. I remember the first lap time that came up on my dash. I was like, 'Wow, this is like a big run'. I knew I just had to mind it and bring it home. So I was thinking so far ahead, making sure that I had the tires. But that last lap was hairy. It was getting loose, especially through (Turn) 1 and 2, but I thankfully brought it home."

The commentator fittingly brought four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears, who qualified on pole at the iconic event six times, into the conversation to highlight the magic McLaughlin produced on track. He said:

"If Rick Mears is the rocket, this guy is a missile."

It was a day to remember for Team Penske, with its three drivers, Scott McLaughlin, Will Power, and Josef Newgarden qualifying 1-2-3 for a front-row lockout. Unfortunately, McLaughlin couldn't convert his pole position into a victory, as Newgarden took his second consecutive win at the Brickyard.

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Scott McLaughlin highlights his number one aim going into the 2025 IndyCar season

AUTO: AUG 16 NTT IndyCar Series Bommarito Automotive Group 500 - Source: Getty

There has been an observable pattern to Scott McLaughlin's previous two IndyCar seasons. He doesn't have the strongest start to his season but emerges as one of the top drivers when the checkered flag waves on the racing calendar.

The Team Penske driver's 2024 season began most ominously - with a disqualification for illegal use of the push-to-pass system. He was stripped of his P3 finish and imposed with a $25,000 fine. This was followed by a DNF in the second points-paying race at Long Beach. The end of his season was rather contrasting. McLaughlin recorded five consecutive Top 10 finishes in the final five races, including a podium at Gateway and a win in Milwaukee.

When @IndyCarRadio asked him if he can carry the momentum into the 2025 season starting on March 2, he replied:

"For sure, for sure. But we need to start better, and that's ultimately my goal. But it's certainly a great finish and we've done that two years in a row where we finish really well. We just need to start better."

Scott McLaughlin finished in third place in the standings in 2024 with a series-high three wins. He and his No. 3 team, nicknamed the Thirsty threes, is one of the favorites to steal the title this year from defending champ Alex Palou.