The final three IndyCar races will take place over three consecutive weekends, an exciting proposition for the end to any season. However, the final three races are even more anticipated in the land-of-make-believe, because they are not just the final three races of the season, but three rounds of playoffs along with a relegation playoff and the final three weeks for three teams to earn promotions to League One in 2024.
That's right! It is time to revisit the fictional, head-to-head league and see what happened in the final half of the regular season. Before we dive in, a reminder of where things stood entering the month of July.
League One (Through eight weeks):
Conference 1
1. #10 Ganassi 7-1
2. #12 Penske 5-3
3. #27 Andretti 5-3
4. #3 Penske 4-4
5. #7 McLaren 4-4
6. #28 Andretti 4-4
7. #11 Ganassi 2-6
8. #21 Carpenter 1-7
Conference 2
1. #26 Andretti 6-2
2. #9 Ganassi 6-2
3. #8 Ganassi 5-3
4. #5 McLaren 5-3
5. #2 Penske 4-4
6. #18 Coyne 3-5
7. #60 Meyer Shank 2-6
8. #15 RLLR 1-7
League Two (Through ten weeks/Top three automatically promoted):
1. #6 McLaren 7-2
2. #45 RLLR 7-2
3. #77 JHR 7-3
4. #20 Carpenter 6-3
5. #14 Foyt 5-4
6. #55 Foyt 5-4
7. #06 Meyer Shank 4-5
8. #78 JHR 4-5
9. #51 Coyne 2-7
10. #29 Andretti 2-7
11. #30 RLLR 2-7
What has changed since Road America? Were there any surprises? How much does this match what the IndyCar championship standings actually look like?
Conference 1
1. #10 Ganassi 12-2
Mid-Ohio: WIN (1st to #27's 17th)
Toronto: WIN (2nd to #11th 7th)
Iowa: WIN (8th to #28's 11th)
Iowa: WIN (3rd to #3's 5th)
Nashville: WIN (3rd to #12's 10th)
Brickyard: LOSS (7th to #7's 5th)
2. #12 Penske 9-5
Mid-Ohio: WIN (3rd to #28's 13th)
Toronto: LOSS (14th to #21's 13th)
Iowa: WIN (5th to #27's 7th)
Iowa: WIN (2nd to #7's 15th)
Nashville: LOSS (10th to #10's 3rd)
Brickyard: WIN (6th to #3's 8th)
3. #3 Penske 8-6
Mid-Ohio: WIN (5th to #11's 9th)
Toronto: WIN (6th to #27's 15th)
Iowa: WIN (2nd to #21's 17th)
Iowa: LOSS (5th to #10's 3rd)
Nashville: WIN (2nd to #7's 19th)
Brickyard: LOSS (8th to #12's 6th)
4. #27 Andretti 8-6
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (17th to #10's 1st)
Toronto: LOSS (15th to #3's 6th)
Iowa: LOSS (7th to #12's 5th)
Iowa: WIN (11th to #11's 25th)
Nashville: WIN (1st to #28's 6th)
Brickyard: WIN (8th to #21's 11th)
5. #7 McLaren 7-7
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (10th to #21's 15th)
Toronto: WIN (10th to #28's 22nd)
Iowa: LOSS (13th to #11's 9th)
Iowa: LOSS (15th to #12's 2nd)
Nashville: LOSS (19th to #3's 2nd)
Brickyard: WIN (5th to #10's 7th)
6. #28 Andretti 6-8
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (13th to #12's 3rd)
Toronto: LOSS (22nd to #7's 10th)
Iowa: LOSS (11th to #10's 8th)
Iowa: WIN (12th to #21's 18th)
Nashville: LOSS (6th to #27's 1st)
Brickyard: WIN (18th to #11's 24th)
7. #11 Ganassi 4-10
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (9th to #3's 5th)
Toronto: LOSS (7th to #10's 2nd)
Iowa: WIN (9th to #7's 13th)
Iowa: LOSS (25th to #27's 11th)
Nashville: WIN (13th to #21's 14th)
Brickyard: LOSS (24th to #28's 18th)
8. #21 Carpenter 2-12
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (15th to #7's 10th)
Toronto: WIN (13th to #12's 14th)
Iowa: LOSS (17th to #3's 2nd)
Iowa: LOSS (18th to #28's 12th)
Nashville: LOSS (14th to #11's 13th)
Brickyard: LOSS (11th to #27's 8th)
Conference 1 Breakdown:
The only change in this conference from the June checkup and the August checkup is the #3 Penske entry moved to third and the #27 Andretti dropped to fourth. Both still make the playoffs, but change seeds.
The best team was the best team, as the #10 Ganassi entry topped Conference 1. The two matchups Palou lost in the regular season were a fifth-place finish to a runner-up finish for Romain Grosjean and a seventh-place finish to a fifth for Alexander Rossi. Will Power had the #12 Penske entry a distant second.
Speaking of Alexander Rossi, though the #7 McLaren entry did not make the playoffs, it ensured safety for next season. The #28 Andretti entry will hard to the relegation playoff.
In terms of relegation, the Nashville meeting between the #11 Ganassi entry and the #21 ECR entry decided who would stay up. The #11 Ganassi entered 3-9 while the #21 ECR was 2-10. If the #21 won it would have a chance at staying up, but Rinus VeeKay fell one position short. Avoidable contact penalty be damned!
It is not all roses for the #11 Ganassi entry. It will be in the relegation playoff.
Conference 2
1. #9 Ganassi 11-3
Mid-Ohio: WIN (2nd to #18's 6th)
Toronto: LOSS (4th to #26's 3rd)
Iowa: WIN (6th to #15's 28th)
Iowa: WIN (6th to #8's 9th)
Nashville: WIN (5th to #5's 8th)
Brickyard: WIN (1st to #2's 25th)
2. #26 Andretti 10-4
Mid-Ohio: WIN (11th to #8's 27th)
Toronto: WIN (3rd to #9's 4th)
Iowa: LOSS (19th to #2's 1st)
Iowa: WIN (7th to #18's 8th)
Nashville: WIN (21st to #60's 25th)
Brickyard: LOSS (13th to #15's 2nd)
3. #2 Penske 9-5
Mid-Ohio: WIN (12th to #60's 20th)
Toronto: WIN (5th to #15's 9th)
Iowa: WIN (1st to #26's 19th)
Iowa: WIN (1st to #5's 10th)
Nashville: WIN (4th to #8's 7th)
Brickyard: LOSS (25th to #9's 1st)
4. #5 McLaren 8-6
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (8th to #15's 7th)
Toronto: WIN (8th to #60's 25th)
Iowa: WIN (3rd to #18's 12th)
Iowa: LOSS (10th to #2's 1st)
Nashville: LOSS (8th to #9's 5th)
Brickyard: WIN (3rd to #8's 10th)
5. #8 Ganassi 7-7
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (27th to #26's 11th)
Toronto: WIN (11th to #18's 20th)
Iowa: WIN (4th to #60's 21st)
Iowa: LOSS (9th to #9's 6th)
Nashville: LOSS (7th to #2's 4th)
Brickyard: LOSS (10th to #5's 3rd)
6. #15 RLLR 4-10
Mid-Ohio: WIN (7th to #5's 8th)
Toronto: LOSS (9th to #2's 5th)
Iowa: LOSS (28th to #9's 6th)
Iowa: LOSS (20th to #60's 17th)
Nashville: WIN (15th to #18's 27th)
Brickyard: WIN (2nd to #26's 13th)
7. #60 Meyer Shank 4-10
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (20th to #2's 12th)
Toronto: LOSS (25th to #5's 8th)
Iowa: LOSS (21st to #8's 4th)
Iowa: WIN (17th to #15's 20th)
Nashville: LOSS (25th to #26's 21st)
Brickyard: WIN (12th to #18's 16th)
8. #18 Coyne 3-11
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (6th to #9's 2nd)
Toronto: LOSS (20th to #8's 11th)
Iowa: LOSS (12th to #5's 3rd)
Iowa: LOSS (8th to #26's 7th)
Nashville: LOSS (27th to #15's 15th)
Brickyard: LOSS (16th to #60's 12th)
Conference 2 Breakdown:
The drama was in Conference 2. Scott Dixon flipped the #9 Ganassi entry into first over the #26 Andretti entry, and that is despite Dixon losing to Herta at Toronto, but Herta lost two of the final four weeks while Dixon went unbeaten.
Josef Newgarden rode five consecutive head-to-head victories into a playoff spot for the #2 Penske entry while the fourth spot went to the final weekend with the #5 McLaren taking on the #8 Ganassi. Neither were all that great, but Patricio O'Ward's victory over Marcus Ericsson put the #5 McLaren into the playoffs despite a 3-3 record in the final six weeks as the #8 Ganassi went 2-4. Ericsson at least finished fifth and has safety to next season.
The relegation battle was a tremendous three-way fight to the final weekend. Graham Rahal's victories in the final two weeks lifted the #15 RLLR entry out of the automatic drop position and to sixth. Meanwhile, the #60 MSR and #18 Coyne entered the final weekend tied at 3-10 while facing each other at the IMS road course with the winner guaranteed avoiding automatic relegation. Linus Lundqvist, in his second career start, won head-to-head against David Malukas and kept MSR alive for League One competition in 2024 as #18 Coyne car will be in League Two next year.
League Two
1. #45 RLLR 13-3
Mid-Ohio: WIN (4th to #29's 14th)
Toronto: WIN (1st to #77's 18th)
Iowa I Qualifying: BYE
Iowa II Qualifying: WIN (21st to #51's 26th)
Iowa I: LOSS (20th to #06's 14th)
Iowa II: WIN (13th to #20's 24th)
Nashville: WIN (9th to #30's 24th)
Brickyard: WIN (4th to #6's 27th)
2. #77 JHR 12-5
Mid-Ohio: BYE
Toronto: LOSS (18th to #45's 1st)
Iowa I Qualifying: WIN (23rd to #51's 27th)
Iowa II Qualifying: LOSS (24th to #06's 8th)
Iowa I: WIN (15th to #20's 23rd)
Iowa II: WIN (14th to #30's 19th)
Nashville: WIN (12th to #6's 22nd)
Brickyard: WIN (17th to #78's 21st)
3. #6 McLaren 11-5
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (25th to #30's 18th)
Toronto: BYE
Iowa I Qualifying: WIN (21st to #78's 24th)
Iowa II Qualifying: WIN (16th to #55's 28th)
Iowa I: WIN (13th to #14's 26th)
Iowa II: WIN (4th to #29's 21st)
Nashville: LOSS (22nd to #77's 12th)
Brickyard: LOSS (27th to #45's 4th)
4. #20 Carpenter 10-7
Mid-Ohio: WIN (19th to #78's 23rd)
Toronto: WIN (26th to #55's 27th)
Iowa I Qualifying: WIN (16th to #14's 25th)
Iowa II Qualifying: LOSS (25th to #29's 19th)
Iowa I: LOSS (23rd to #77's 15th)
Iowa II: LOSS (24th to #45's 13th)
Nashville: WIN (16th to #51's 17th)
Brickyard: LOSS (20th to #06's 15th)
5. #06 Meyer Shank 9-7
Mid-Ohio: WIN (21st to #55's 26th)
Toronto: LOSS (21st to #14's 17th)
Iowa I Qualifying: LOSS (14th to #29's 12th)
Iowa II Qualifying: WIN (8th to #77's 24th)
Iowa I: WIN (14th to #45's 20th)
Iowa II: WIN (16th to #51's 28th)
Nashville: BYE
Brickyard: WIN (15th to #20's 20th)
6. #14 Foyt 8-8
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (24th to #51's 22nd)
Toronto: WIN (17th to #06's 21st)
Iowa I Qualifying: LOSS (25th to #20's 16th)
Iowa II Qualifying: LOSS (27th to #30's 22nd)
Iowa I: LOSS (26th to #6's 13th)
Iowa II: WIN (22nd to #78's 26th)
Nashville: WIN (18th to #55's 23rd)
Brickyard: BYE
7. #78 JHR 7-9
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (23rd to #20's 19th)
Toronto: WIN (12th to #30's 24th)
Iowa I Qualifying: LOSS (24th to #6's 21st)
Iowa II Qualifying: BYE
Iowa I: WIN (16th to #55's 27th)
Iowa II: LOSS (26th to #14's 22nd)
Nashville: WIN (20th to #29's 26th)
Brickyard: LOSS (21st to #77's 17th)
8. #30 RLLR 7-10
Mid-Ohio: WIN (18th to #6's 25th)
Toronto: LOSS (24th to #78's 12th)
Iowa I Qualifying: WIN (26th to #55's 28th)
Iowa II Qualifying: WIN (22nd to #14's 27th)
Iowa I: WIN (18th to #29's 22nd)
Iowa II: LOSS (19th to #77's 14th)
Nashville: LOSS (24th to #45's 9th)
Brickyard: WIN (14th to #51's 22nd)
9. #55 Foyt 5-11
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (26th to #06's 21st)
Toronto: LOSS (27th to #20's 26th)
Iowa I Qualifying: LOSS (28th to #30's 16th)
Iowa II Qualifying: LOSS (28th to #6's 16th)
Iowa I: LOSS (27th to #78's 16th)
Iowa II: BYE
Nashville: LOSS (23rd to #14's 18th)
Brickyard: LOSS (26th to #29's 19th)
10. #29 Andretti 5-12
Mid-Ohio: LOSS (14th to #45's 4th)
Toronto: LOSS (23rd to #51's 19th)
Iowa I Qualifying: WIN (12th to #06's 14th)
Iowa II Qualifying: WIN (19th to #20's 25th)
Iowa I: LOSS (22nd to #30's 18th)
Iowa II: LOSS (21st to #6's 4th)
Nashville: LOSS (26th to #78's 20th)
Brickyard: WIN (19th to #55's 26th)
11. #51 Coyne 4-12
Mid-Ohio: WIN (22nd to #14's 24th)
Toronto: WIN (19th to #29's 23rd)
Iowa I Qualifying: LOSS (27th to #77's 23rd)
Iowa II Qualifying: LOSS (26th to #45's 21st)
Iowa I: BYE
Iowa II: LOSS (28th to #06's 16th)
Nashville: LOSS (17th to #20's 16th)
Brickyard: LOSS (22nd to #30's 14th)
League Two Outlook:
It looks like Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will be set with the #45 entry being promoted. It isn't guaranteed. The worst record the #45 RLLR can finish with is 13-7. One victory over the final four matchups will ensure safety.
It is a little tighter for the #77 JHR and #6 McLaren. Both aren't quite there, but they will need the #20 ECR and #06 MSR entries to be perfect in the final weeks to be any real danger. There is slimmer hopes for the #14 Foyt entry and #78 JHR entry, as both must be perfect and then hope to earn promotion on tiebreaker.
A few notable matchups in the final four weeks, the #45 RLLR takes on the #78 JHR entry in Gateway qualifying while the #45 RLLR faces the #55 Foyt in the Gateway race. The #45 RLLR ends with the #14 Foyt and #29 Andretti in the final two weeks.
The #77 JHR has a bye the final week of the season, meaning Callum Ilott will race the #55 Foyt, the #14 Foyt and the #29 Andretti to close the season.
For the #6 McLaren, Felix Rosenqvist is slated to face the #51 Coyne, #06 MSR, #20 ECR and the #30 RLLR in the final four races.
The bottom four in League Two cannot be promoted this season.
Playoffs
Quarterfinals:
#10 Ganassi vs. #5 McLaren
#26 Andretti vs. #3 Penske
#12 Penske vs. #2 Penske
#9 Ganassi vs. #27 Andretti
Each of the Gateway quarterfinal matchups are toss-ups. You have Álex Palou facing Patricio O'Ward, Will Power taking on Josef Newgarden, Colton Herta against Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon paired with Kyle Kirkwood.
None of those are easy to pick. They could really go either way. And then the semifinals would be Palou/O'Ward vs. Herta/McLaughlin and Power/Newgarden vs. Dixon/Kirkwood. Any of those semifinals could be finals any other season.
Relegation Playoff
Semifinals:
#28 Andretti vs. #60 MSR
#15 RLLR vs. #11 Ganassi
What is Graham Rahal's reward for winning the final two weeks and avoiding the automatic drop? It is Takuma Sato in the #11 Ganassi entry at Gateway. All that hard work and the job only gets tougher!
But then you have possibly the most wild card matchup of them all in Romain Grosjean, a man whose season has been feast or famine, against... who knows in the #60 MSR entry. Will Simon Pagenaud return? Could Linus Lundqvist get a third run in the #60 MSR entry? Will it be someone else? We don't know! Grosjean could be presented a gift, but will he really make the most of it?
We will put a bow on this in September. Stay tuned!
