Scott McLaughlin maximizes much-needed IndyCar break with Chocolatey day out before Portland GP

Scott McLaughlin made the most of IndyCar's week off from racing after a packed month of July, which had races on all weekends. The Team Penske driver visited the home of the chocolate brand, Hershey's, a week before the Grand Prix of Portland.

McLaughlin is having a forgettable 2025 season in IndyCar. The four-time Supercars champion entered the year as a preseason favorite to contend for the title alongside reigning champion Alex Palou. However, what has transpired since then has been pitiful.

The 32-year-old's best performances came at the beginning of the season, as he took pole position during Round 1 in St. Petersburg. However, an early caution ruined his chances of converting that into a win. Scott McLaughlin's sole podium came at the Grand Prix of Alabama, which was Round 4 of the 17-race calendar.

Since then, it has been disappointment after disappointment, only worsened by Team Penske's misfortune. The No. 3 Chevy driver's July was one to forget, as he recorded a P23 to kick off the month in Mid-Ohio. That was followed by a heroic P27 to P4 in Iowa Race 1, before the theme of 2025 got reinforced with back-to-back DNFs in Iowa Race 2 and Indy Toronto.

After a decent recovery at Laguna Seca to finish P10, Scott McLaughlin enjoyed the next weekend off at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania. The Team Penske driver visited the amusement park in Hershey, PA, with his wife, Karly Paone, and baby daughter Lucy. He shared a photo from Hersheypark with his friends and family on Instagram.

Scott McLaughlin married Karly in 2019 in a California wedding. They welcomed their daughter in October last year.

IndyCar will enter its final stretch of the 2025 season this month, with the Grand Prix of Portland up next from August 8 to 10. McLaughlin has performed well at the Portland International Raceway since joining the American series in 2021. He has finished within the Top 10 in each of his four outings on the road course, including a race win in 2022.

Scott McLaughlin reacts to FOX buying a $135M stake in IndyCar

Scott McLaughlin at the NTT INDYCAR Series Java House Grand Prix of Monterey - Source: Getty

Scott McLaughlin recently shared his reaction to IndyCar's broadcasting partner, FOX, buying a share in the series. FOX bought a 33% stake in Penske Entertainment, which owns the premier American open-wheel series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with an approximately $135M investment.

Penske Corporation owner Roger Penske called it a no-brainer decision, considering the viewership growth that FOX has generated in 2025. McLaughlin, who has been driving for Penske since his time in the Supercars Championship, shared his feelings about the move in an X post.

"Excited to be apart of this future moving forward!" The No. 2 Team Penske Chevy driver wrote.

The upcoming Grand Prix of Portland will be the first IndyCar race with FOX as part-owner of the series.

About the author

Yash is a Motorsports journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from one of India's top B-schools. With over 1.5 years of experience covering Formula 1 and a short stint covering the WNBA, he brings passionate authenticity to his writing.

Yash's first brush with the motorsport world was accidental. While flipping TV channels, he came across an episode of F1TV's 'Inside Tracks'. That was enough to engross him and make him dive head-first into devotedly following the sport.

Surprisingly, he favors no particular driver or team. This helps him bring complete objectivity to his reporting, which begins with meticulous research from trusted sources across the internet.

When motorsport isn't on Yash's mind, he's either at the gym, out for a walk, or indulging in creative writing.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl