Only two drivers have taken three IndyCar wins during the 2024 season, and both occupied the top two spots during race one of the Milwaukee Mile 250.
Pato O’Ward eased to an oval victory ahead of Will Power as IndyCar kicked off its double-header weekend in style.
Conor Daly helped Juncos Hollinger Racing claim their maiden podium, and the second of his career, eight years after his first at Detroit in 2016 for Dale Coyne Racing.
Championship leader Alex Palou remained consistent and picked up a fifth-placed finish, keeping his lead at 41 points to Power behind with two races to go.
Will Power pokes IndyCar with Mexico City joke
After taking the win at Milwaukee, O’Ward was thanking his team before Power stirred the pot about IndyCar’s failure to arrange a race in Mexico.
It came after NASCAR secured a deal to race in Mexico City – something which most drivers believe would have been beneficial to IndyCar.
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But with not much space to work with, the sport may have missed its window to race in O’Ward’s home country, having been beaten by to the opportunity by their closed cockpit counterparts.
“A great bounce back after a really tough weekend for me and the whole team. Really happy that I was able to give them this. Chevy top three, that’s awesome,” O’Ward said after the race.
“We should be in Mexico City, not NASCAR,” Power responded.
“Pato who?” O’Ward joked.
O’Ward’s Mexico dream isn’t over yet
O’Ward’s dream of securing a first IndyCar title may be a bit far fetched for 2024, but it’s very possible in the near future.
His hopes of racing in Mexico aren’t all over yet either, in a never-say-never attitude, due to his large fanbase opening up possibilities.
The demand for IndyCar in Mexico would be there, with O’Ward’s fanbase second only to Sergio Perez’s Formula 1 following.
He could advance into the top three of the championship in the final two races of the season, but that depends whether he can continue to remain consistent on the ovals.
His all-round ability across all course types suggests that paired with his experience and youth, he should be considered a serious threat for the championship in 2025, and his rivals will be very aware of that.