Don’t hate, but it’s likely that everyone except Chip Ganassi Racing is in the running for second in the final 2026 INDYCAR standings.
Considering the mastery of Alex Palou, second isn’t a bad accomplishment at all.
Sure, it stinks to know that in some seasons, that second-place point total might win a title, but that’s just the way it goes.
So how should INDYCAR organizations evaluate their seasons?
Here are some thoughts with five races remaining. We’ll go in order of owner points.
Chip Ganassi Racing
Scott Dixon is trying to extend his streak of winning at least one race a year for the past 22 seasons.
Beyond Palou, the main goal for this organization should be to get Scott Dixon (12th in the standings) a win to extend his streak to 22 years with at least one win each year. For Kyffin Simpson (14th), he’s just 33 points out of the top 10. That’s doable.
Andretti Global
Kyle Kirkwood has proven he can challenge Palou for the title but it will have to wait until next year.
Kyle Kirkwood, as he holds serve in second, shows he’s poised to challenge Palou again next season. Marcus Ericsson (ninth) and Will Power (11th), much like Dixon, would probably feel OK finishing in the top 10 in points, but a win would probably mean more.
Team Penske
Finishing the year with a win would wrap up a solid season for Malukas.
David Malukas (third) is just eight points behind Kirkwood for second and has a legitimate shot to finish as the series runner-up. For him, while he seeks his first career victory, running up front consistently remains pivotal in his young career. Josef Newgarden (seventh) is just 20 points outside the top five and Scott McLaughlin (eighth) is 34 points outside of fifth. So being top five in points and getting a win along the way would be a solid way to end the season.
Arrow McLaren
Christian Lundgaard should feel generally good about his 2026.
Christian Lundgaard (fourth) is 25 points behind Kirkwood for second and Pato O’Ward (fifth) is 45 points out of second. They have both won this year, so second in the standings with a win (Lundgaard has two) for the season would probably be satisfactory. Nolan Siegel (19th) probably can’t get to 15th in points (he’s 54 points out of 15th) so his goal should be to run well enough that he can land a ride for 2027.
Meyer Shank Racing
Can Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist finish the year in the top five?
This organization won the Indianapolis 500 so its season has been made. But if Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist (sixth) can finish in the top five (he’s 17 points out), that would be cool. Marcus Armstrong has fallen to 15th, thanks to recent engine issues, so to get back into the top 10 in points (he’s 39 points out) would be nice. A win would be even sweeter.
Juncos Hollinger Racing
Rinus VeeKay finishing in the top 10 would be a big deal for his team.
Rinus VeeKay (10th) has five drivers within 39 points of him for that distinctive top-10 spot. To finish in the top 10 would be a big deal for this organization, so just staying there would be a major accomplishment. Sting Ray Robb (25th) is 26 points out of the top 22 (in driver and entrant points), which is where the Leaders Circle bonus money cut happens and is worth more than $1 million to the team. That’s the obvious goal.
RLL Racing
Graham Rahal would probably take a win if he had to choose between that and finishing in the top 10.
At 13th in the standings, Graham Rahal has a shot at the top 10 as he’s currently just 33 points out. But something tells me he’d take a win over a top-10 finish in the standings. Louis Foster (18th) is 32 points out of the top 15 and Mick Schumacher (24th) is 11 points out of the top 22. Those would be good goals, but just overall improvement is key for both those drivers.
ECR
Alexander Rossi is looking to build more in 2027.
Alexander Rossi (16th) is 22 points out of 15th but at this stage in his career, he would just like to see the team improve and land on more things to build on for 2027. Christian Rasmussen (22nd) needs to stay in the top 22, keeping Caio Collet (10 points out) and Schumacher at bay.
A.J. Foyt Racing
A win could be around the corner for Santino Ferrucci.
Santino Ferrucci (17th) and Caio Collet (23rd) would both want more consistency. For Ferrucci, with a doubleheader at The Milwaukee Mile, a win isn’t totally out of the question.
Dale Coyne Racing
Running well the rest of 2026 would go a long way in helping secure Dennis Hauger’s future.
Dennis Hauger (20th) and Romain Grosjean (21st) need to stay in the top 22 in the standings. Hauger isn’t signed yet for 2027 and needs every good run he can get. Grosjean, the former Formula 1 driver, isn’t signed but seems to have a little more job security that it isn’t as dependent on his results over the final five races.
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