Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin talks his excitement to race against IndyCar drivers in real life, having now raced against them virtually.
Until recently, Team Penske Supercars driver McLaughlin hadn’t been on the open-wheel racing scene. In fact, prior to his private IndyCar test at Sebring a few months ago, he’d have been able to count his non-karting experiences on one hand, and his competitive experiences in such cars without raising a finger.
As such, the Kiwi has never raced against any single-seater drivers – drivers such as Scott Dixon, who – as a fellow countryman – McLaughlin has admired since his childhood. Due to this simple fact that racing at this level is so novel to him, the rookie to-be has expressed his excitement to compete in the IndyCar Grand Prix this summer.
It is there where he will finally get the chance to race against some of his idols in real life. He also revealed that he is currently star-struck as he is racing against them in the iRacing IndyCar Challenge when asked by FormulaRapida.net about his experience.
“I’m beyond excited,” McLaughlin started. “I think just to have the opportunity to race in America against some of the best open-wheel drivers in the world is something that I’m really excited about. I’ve always been an IndyCar fan.
“Before I joined Team Penske I followed Scott Dixon, because he was a Kiwi. I’ve always been really a big fan of his, watched INDYCAR in New Zealand. Now to get the opportunity to have a race is really cool.
“I think the eSeries racing is just cool, to race against Jimmie Johnson, all those people, a bit star struck by them. They’re pretty phenomenal racecar drivers,” summed up McLaughlin. The Kiwi surprised many with a win in Round 2 at Barber.
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