For the first time since he embarked on the move from overseas to the United States, his life away from the track is in order. “It’s nice because you feel like you’re building actually the American dream in some ways,” McLaughlin said. Not that it’s going to reinvent my wheel, but it’s a nice feeling. McLaughlin enters his fourth full-time season in the series, all coming with Team Penske. “I certainly don’t feel like the new kid anymore, and I feel more like an open-wheel driver than a touring car driver now,” McLaughlin said. McLaughlin held similar legendary status in Australia for his skills in Supercars but for someone of his stature to say he feels like home now over here, that’s a statement the paddock can’t take lightly. “I can finally at the start of the season focus on racing in some ways,” he said. I feel like we really finished the year strong last year and it is going to be important to start the year strong.”. McLaughlin ended the 2023 season on a hot streak, with 11 consecutive top-10 finishes, including three runners-up. I feel like I’m in the best possible spot I’ve ever been for a long time, but even probably better than last year. McLaughlin has improved his point standing every season, going from 14th as a rookie in 2021 to fourth in 2022 to third in 2023. McLaughlin noted, at times, that last little bit in this sport comes down to some luck.

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