Scott McLaughlin's wife delivers 3-word take on racer qualifying for Indy 500

On the opening day of Indianapolis 500 qualifying on Saturday, May 17, last year’s pole-sitter, Scott McLaughlin, successfully secured a spot again. His strong performance sparked an ecstatic reaction from his wife, who celebrated the achievement on social media.

Alex Palou posted the fastest time on the opening day of the PPG Armed Forces Qualifying with 233.019 mph for the 109th Indianapolis 500. McLaughlin came home in second with an average speed of 233.013 mph as the Team Penske driver shared the ecstasy of securing a spot at the Greatest Spectacle of Racing. McLaughlin will be one of 12 competitors competing for pole position for this year’s Indy 500 on Sunday, May 18.

McLaughlin shared a picture of himself with his wife Karly Paone, whom he married in 2019, and their baby girl, Lucy Violet, celebrating the special moment.

"Qualified for the #Indy500. Now we get to reload and try and put the #YellowSub up front tomorrow! #Thirsty3s #INDYCAR," McLaughlin captioned the post.

His wife reshared the post on her Instagram story, expressing her joy over McLaughlin's qualification.

"it's too much," she wrote, preceded by three yellow hearts.

Image via Instagram (@kaypayymac)

Scott McLaughlin confident of challenging championship leader Alex Palou

AUTO: MAY 17 INDYCAR 109th Running of The Indianapolis 500 - Source: Getty

Alex Palou has dominated the early stretch of the 2025 IndyCar season, winning four of the first five races. In response, Scott McLaughlin has crafted a strategy to dethrone the reigning champion. The 31-year-old believes that applying relentless pressure could crack the Spaniard, especially with the looming challenge of the Indianapolis 500 adding to the weight.

McLaughlin started the 2025 season strong by putting his #3 car on pole in St. Petersburg, but Palou ultimately won. A similar story unfolded at the Thermal Club, where Pato O’Ward led the race before Palou once again surged ahead to claim victory and the trophy.

With the 28-year-old Spaniard performing at the highest level, his competitors have struggled to identify any clear weakness. However, with the prestigious Indianapolis 500 up next, a race run on an oval, where Palou has historically been less dominant, his rivals may finally see an opportunity to challenge his supremacy.

Speaking on the Pit Pass Indy Podcast, McLaughlin detailed his plans.

"He's executing at a really high level, he's fast, I mean he's using his speed, he's not making any mistakes, but look at the same time, if we put some pressure on him, I think we can break him. But, at the end of the day, you can't be worried about him. I need to worry about what I'm doing to be better, and to be faster and put ourselves up there," said McLaughlin [19:40 onwards].

Scott McLaughlin is fifth in the championship with 137 points, 111 points adrift of championship leader Alex Palou.