It’s time for the NTT IndyCar Series to fly around the pristine layout of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the ninth round of the 2026 season.
While the focus of the weekend will be Sunday’s (July 5) race over 13-turn, 2.258 mile road course, the talk will be about the silly season drama unfolding in the paddock.
But more of that later, first lets dive into the 2025 running of the race.
Last Year
Scott Dixon notched his seventh win on the natural terrain road course, by doing something few can say they’ve done — passing Alex Palou for the lead.
Coming down to the end of the race, Palou made a mistake coming down the long backstretch, getting his wheels on the dirt and Dixon took advantage, taking the win. It was his only victory in 2025, and ensured his streak of seasons with at least one win since 2005 continued.Â
The Silly Season Drama
It can’t go without mentioning the news that hit on Thursday (July 2) that Dixon is leaving Chip Ganassi Racing at the end of the year. This is one of the biggest bombshells to fall upon the paddock since Roger Penske bought the series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Where Dixon goes isn’t known — rumor says McLaren — but he has to push this distraction aside to focus on returning to his former competitive self. There is no better track for him to do this than Mid-Ohio, as mentioned, he owns seven wins and is the defending race winner. But it has been several years since Dixon won a race on pure speed and domination, instead relying on strategy.Â
To get his weekend started right, he has to qualify and put his car as close to the front as possible so he can use his veteran savvy skills instead of hoping the pit calls play in his favor.
Lundgaard Reigns Supreme
Christian Lundgaard is dominating permanent road courses, and is coming off his third career win at Road America two weekends ago. He is hot right now, and we’re not talking about his performance. That driver’s seat of his is unusually warm, with the possibility of him being bumped for others in the paddock that are seeking new pastures.
Odd, that. He is the recent winner for Arrow McLaren and is highest driver for that three car team in the standings. The Dane can’t control his fate, but he can still hit the track and win. Expect that at his speciality this weekend at Mid-Ohio.
Malukas Is Lundgaard-lite
David Malukas is knocking on that door of his first victory. This feels like Vitor Meira in the old IRL days. The Team Penske driver has three runner-ups this season, and had a shot at the win at Road America with how things played out, but didn’t have the speed to hold off Lundgaard.
These two are becoming race track buddies on permanent road courses, they have finished 1-2 in the last two, Road America and the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis. Add in Malukas fourth at Barber, and he is running just as good as Lundgaard. Does he finally leapfrog the Dane to take his first race this Sunday?
Get Back at It
Marcus Armstrong was laps away from his first IndyCar win at Road America. Then his car went kabloom. It was gut wrenching, made worse that he fell to 24th position in the results, which dropped him out of the top 10 of the points championship.
While another New Zealander is making headlines heading into the weekend, Armstrong hopes to snatch that back with a great run. With his teammate Felix Rosenqvist leaving, and his sear with Meyer Shank confirmed for multiple years to come, he may be in line to take on a leading role with the team.
What Else?
Palou returns to the race he threw away last year, in the epic chase down by his teammate Dixon. Now that it’s known that he is the face of Chip Ganassi Racing with Dixon’s departure, does he seal that with a win?
Rosenqvist isn’t returning to Meyer Shank Racing, but doesn’t mean he will slow down this season. Mid-Ohio is Michael Shank’s home track, and the Swede wants to put his No. 60 back in victory lane for his soon-to-be-former employer.
Pato O’Ward has had two straight finishes outside the top 10. He is a former winner at Mid-Ohio and needs to get his season on track as pressure builds on questions about his winning teammate Lundgaard’s future employment status.
Frontstretch Predictions
Palou can’t go too long without getting back to victory lane, and it seems he will see red out on the asphalt after losing to Dixon last year. Expect him to notch the W and stretch his point lead.
Lundgaard is the top performing Arrow Mclaren — again — and Malukas rounds out the podium.
- Palou
- Lundgaard
- Malukas
The IndyCar Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio gets underway Sunday (July 5) at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
Tom is an IndyCar writer at Frontstretch, joining in March 2023. Besides writing the IndyCar Previews and frequent editions of Inside IndyCar, he will hop on as a fill-in guest on the Open Wheel podcast The Pit Straight. A native Hoosier, he calls Fort Wayne home. Follow Tom on Twitter @TomBlackburn42.
I predict the announcers will talk faster than the cars will go.