McLaughlin on fresher tires and no fuel worries was able to pounce on the two-stopping polesitter Romain Grosjean, when the Frenchman ran wide at Turn 5 on Lap 72, shortly after running out of push-to-pass boost. McLaughlin drew alongside him on corner exit, and the Chevrolet with push-to-pass activated easily out-accelerated the Honda-powered Andretti Autosport machine along the long drag to Turn 8.
Thereafter, McLaughlin was able to edge away and keep Grosjean at arm’s length.
McLaughlin, for whom this was a fourth IndyCar triumph, but his first of the season, told NBC: “I call it a happy driver strategy. I was a lot happier doing [the three stops]. My team advanced me to Victory Lane, we had great fuel and went past Grosjean on a little bit of strategy.
“I feel really pumped abo …