Let's Look at the League - June 2025

We have surpassed the halfway point in the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season. The championship looks rather under control with Álex Palou up 93 points on the competition with six victories already under his belt with eight more races left to run. We are still adjusting to knowing the inevitable before the summer has even begun in IndyCar circles. 

To distract us from reality, we do have our yearly hypothetical, what if IndyCar had a head-to-head competition where each race individual teams competed against one another in a larger league format that would determine a different champion? 

NASCAR is about to do an actual form of this starting this weekend in Atlanta. For IndyCar, we continue playing make-believe, but it could be worse. At least this involves a little creativity.

League One

For League One, we are just beyond the halfway point in the regular season. Eight of 14 weeks are complete. The bigger picture is starting to shake out. A few teams are in a prime position for the playoffs, a few more are in the middle and could make it, but could also fall short. Then there are the few teams that know they must start winning matchup and time is running out.

Results

	Conference One	Conference Two
Week 1 (St. Petersburg)	#10 CGR def. #15 RLLR (1-12)	#26 Andretti def. #6 McLaren (16-26)
	#28 Andretti def. #12 Penske (6-26)	#3 Penske def. #21 ECR (4-15)
	#60 MSR def. #5 McLaren (7-11)	#9 CGR def. #45 RLLR (2-27)
	#2 Penske def. #7 McLaren (3-8)	#27 Andretti def. #14 Foyt (4-12)
Week 2 (Thermal)	#10 CGR def. #28 Andretti (1-21)	#26 Andretti def. #21 ECR (4-12)
	#12 Penske def. #15 RLLR (6-11)	#6 McLaren def. #3 Penske (19-27)
	#5 McLaren def. #7 McLaren (2-3)	#9 CGR def. #14 Foyt (10-14)
	#60 MSR def. #2 Penske (5-13)	#27 Andretti def. #45 RLLR (8-24)
Week 3 (Long Beach)	#10 CGR def. #60 MSR (2-4)	#26 Andretti def. #45 RLLR (7-16)
	#7 McLaren def. #12 Penske (3-5)	#3 Penske def. #14 Foyt (6-11)
	#5 McLaren def. #15 RLLR (13-22)	#9 CGR def. #6 McLaren (8-20)
	#28 Andretti def. #2 Penske (12-27)	#27 Andretti def. #21 ECR (1-23)
Week 4 (Barber)	#10 CGR def. #7 McLaren (1-2)	#26 Andretti def. #14 Foyt (7-18)
	#12 Penske def. #60 MSR (5-13)	#3 Penske def. #45 RLLR (3-26)
	#5 McLaren def. #28 Andretti (6-20)	#9 CGR def. #21 ECR (12-15)
	#2 Penske def. #15 RLLR (10-14)	#6 McLaren def. #27 Andretti (9-11)
Week 5 (GPOI)	#10 CGR def. #2 Penske (1-12)	#27 Andretti def. #26 Andretti (8-25)
	#5 McLaren def. #12 Penske (2-3)	#3 Penske def. #9 CGR (4-5)
	#15 RLLR def. #7 McLaren (6-17)	#6 McLaren def. #14 Foyt (13-20)
	#60 MSR def. #28 Andretti (10-26)	#45 RLLR def. #21 ECR (11-19)
Week 6 (Indianapolis 500)	#10 CGR def. #5 McLaren (1-3)	#26 Andretti def. #9 CGR (14-20)
	#12 Penske def. #2 Penske (16-22)	#3 Penske def. #27 Andretti (30-32)
	#7 McLaren def. #28 Andretti (7-31)	#14 Foyt def. #21 ECR (5-6)
	#60 MSR def. #15 RLLR (4-17)	#45 RLLR def. #6 McLaren (12-13)
Week 7 (Detroit)	#12 Penske def. #10 CGR (4-25)	#26 Andretti def. #3 Penske (3-12)
	#5 McLaren def. #2 Penske (7-9)	#27 Andretti def. #9 CGR (1-11)
	#7 McLaren def. #60 MSR (8-21)	#14 Foyt def. #45 RLLR (2-22)
	#28 Andretti def. #15 RLLR (13-20)	#6 McLaren def. #21 ECR (19-24)
Week 8 (Gateway)	#10 CGR def. #15 RLLR (8-22)	#26 Andretti def. #6 McLaren (17-19)
	#28 Andretti def. #12 Penske (13-27)	#21 ECR def. #3 Penske (3-24)
	#5 McLaren def. #60 MSR (2-16)	#9 CGR def. #45 RLLR (4-26)
	#7 McLaren def. #2 Penske (14-25)	#27 Andretti def. #14 Foyt (1-5)
Week 9 (Road America)	#10 CGR def. #28 Andretti (1-21)	#26 Andretti def. #21 ECR (16-18)
	#12 Penske def. #15 RLLR (14-20)	#6 McLaren def #3 Penske (8-12)
	#5 McLaren def. #7 McLaren (17-24)	#14 Foyt def. #9 CGR (3-9)
	#60 MSR def. #2 Penske (2-25)	#27 Andretti def. #45 RLLR (4-11)

Conference One Standings

#10 Ganassi 8-1

#5 McLaren 7-2
#12 Penske 5-4
#60 Meyer Shank 5-4

#7 McLaren 4-5
#28 Andretti 4-5
#2 Penske 2-7
#15 RLLR 1-8

There are five weeks left in the regular season, and nothing is set in stone. The top seeds are still in play, everyone is still alive for a playoff spot, and the relegation battles are tight. 

It is no surprise Álex Palou would have the #10 Ganassi team leading the way in his conference, Patricio O'Ward would have the #5 McLaren in second, only one game back, and a little breathing space to Will Power and Felix Rosenqvist tied for third. The #12 Penske defeated the #60 MSR at Barber and that is currently the tiebreaker.

The playoff positions could swing widely over the final five weeks. Christian Lundgaard has been unable to catch a break. Despite finishing on the podium in three consecutive races, Lundgaard lost two of those matchups. He was third at Thermal Club and lost to his teammate O'Ward, who was second. At Barber Motorsports Park, Lundgaard was second but he lost to Palou, who won the race. 

Marcus Ericsson has better odds than you would expect for the playoffs considering his season. Josef Newgarden's season has him positioned right where you would expect, and Newgarden is closer to relegation than the playoffs, but there is time for him to go on a run. Graham Rahal's struggles are showcased right here. He isn't out of it, but Rahal has some work to do.

Key Matchups

Week 10 (Mid Ohio): #12 Penske vs. #7 McLaren. 

Week 12 (Iowa): #10 Ganassi vs. #2 Penske / #12 Penske vs. #5 McLaren

Week 13 (Toronto): #10 Ganassi vs. #5 McLaren / #12 Penske vs. #2 Penske / #7 McLaren vs. #28 Andretti

Week 14 (Laguna Seca): #10 Ganassi vs. #12 Penske / #5 McLaren vs #2 Penske

Conference Two Standings

#26 Andretti 8-1

#27 Andretti 7-2

#6 McLaren 5-4
#3 Penske 5-4
#9 Ganassi 5-4
#14 Foyt 3-6
#45 RLLR 2-7
#21 ECR 1-8

It hasn't been the greatest seasons for Colton Herta, but he has caught some breaks to top his conference with Kyle Kirkwood in second. Herta has won four consecutive matchups, and in three of those he has finished outside the top ten. After Kirkwood is a tight middle. Despite Nolan Siegel not having the greatest season, Siegel's results have him in a playoff spot thanks in part to him being 2-0 against Scott McLaughlin. McLaughlin beat Scott Dixon in their first meeting, and Dixon did beat Siegel. 

After starting 0-5, Santino Ferrucci is 3-1 over the last four races, but Ferrucci has some work to make the playoffs. Christian Rasmussen was the last one on the board when he won his matchup at Gateway, but the second Iowa race will be circled on his calendar because that is when he faces Louis Foster again, and a win that weekend could be enough to get Rasmussen the tiebreaker and avoid automatic relegation.

Key Matchups

Week 10 (Mid-Ohio): #9 Ganassi vs. #6 McLaren

Week 11 (Iowa): #26 Andretti vs. #14 Foyt

Week 12 (Iowa): #26 Andretti vs. #27 Andretti / #3 Penske vs #9 Ganassi

Week 13 (Toronto): #26 Andretti vs. #9 Ganassi / #3 Penske vs. #27 Andretti

Week 14 (Laguna Seca): #26 Andretti vs. #3 Penske / #9 Ganassi vs. #27 Andretti

League Two

Unlike the top division, League Two is nearly done with its first phase of the competition, but it is mostly a formality. Though there are two races left in the regular season, we know the two promoted teams for next season. The final two weeks will still be used to determine a champion, but it is one of two parties. The rest will be competing for promotion playoff spots and will race deep into the summer.

Results

Week 1 (St. Petersburg)	#8 CGR def. #51 Coyne (18-23)
	#18 Coyne def. #77 JHR (9-21)
	#4 Foyt def. #66 MSR (13-24)
	#20 ECR def. #76 JHR (10-17)
	#83 Prema def. #30 RLLR (20-22)
Week 2 (Thermal)	#30 RLLR def. #77 JHR (20-23)
	#66 MSR def. #20 ECR (7-9)
	#76 JHR def. #18 Coyne (16-17)
	#4 Foyt def. #90 Prema (18-26)
	#51 Coyne vs. #83 Prema def. #51 Coyne (22-25)
Week 3 (Long Beach)	#8 CGR def. #20 ECR (10-15)
	#66 MSR def. #30 RLLR (14-24)
	#90 Prema def. #76 JHR (21-25)
	#4 Foyt def. #83 Prema (17-18)
	#18 Coyne def. #51 Coyne (19-26)
Week 4 (Barber)	#66 MSR def. #8 CGR (17-21)
	#20 ECR def. #77 (8-22)
	#4 Foyt def. #30 RLLR (16-24)
	#90 Prema def. #51 Coyne (23-27)
	#18 Coyne def. #83 Prema (4-25)
Week 5 (GPOI)	#4 Foyt def. #8 CGR (23-27)
	#83 Prema def. #77 JHR (18-21)
	#66 MSR def. #90 Prema (7-22)
	#76 JHR def. #30 RLLR (15-17)
	#20 ECR def. #51 Coyne (14-24)
Week 6 (Indianapolis 500)	#30 RLLR def. #8 CGR (11-25)
	#77 JHR def. #90 Prema (23-33)
	#66 MSR def. #18 Coyne (18-27)
	#76 JHR def. #51 Coyne (8-DNQ)
	#4 Foyt def. #20 ECR (2-28)
Week 7 (Detroit)	#8 CGR def. #76 JHR (5-17)
	#66 MSR def. #77 JHR (6-15)
	#20 ECR def. #18 Coyne (10-27)
	#4 Foyt def. #51 Coyne (14-18)
	#83 Prema def. #90 Prema (16-26)
Week 8 (Gateway)	#8 CGR def. #77 JHR (15-20)
	#66 MSR def. #51 Coyne (9-21)
	#76 JHR def. #83 Prema (6-10)
	#20 ECR def. #30 RLLR (11-23)
	#18 Coyne def. #90 Prema (7-18)
Week 9 (Road America)	#8 CGR def. #18 Coyne (6-10)
	#51 Coyne def. #77 JHR (23-26)
	#66 MSR def. #83 Prema (5-27)
	#4 Foyt def. #76 JHR (7-22)
	#90 Prema def. #30 RLLR (15-19)

League Two Standings

#4 Foyt 8-0

#66 MSR 8-1

#8 Ganassi 5-3

#20 ECR 5-3

#76 JHR 4-4

#18 Coyne 4-4
#83 Prema 4-4

#90 Prema 3-5

#30 RLLR 2-6

#77 JHR 1-7

#51 Coyne 1-8

The promotion spots have been claimed. With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the #4 Foyt entry and the #66 Meyer Shank entry have clinched the automatic promotion spots. David Malukas beat Marcus Armstrong at the season opener at St. Petersburg after Armstrong's mechanical issues. Since then, Malukas has won every matchup, and Armstrong hasn't lost since that day. 

The League Two championship, which is mostly for pride, will come down to whether or not the #4 Foyt entry loses both the final two races or if the #66 MSR does not win at Mid-Ohio. All Malukas needs is one victory to clinch the championship, and he is slated to face the #77 JHR entry at Mid-Ohio, and the #18 Coyne entry in the first Iowa race. Armstrong's final regular season race is at Mid-Ohio against the # entry, as the #66 MSR's bye is the final week at Iowa. 

Everyone else is competing for a spot in the round robin for the promotion playoff. Last place in the regular season does not qualify for the promotion playoffs, and that fight took a turn at Road America as Jacob Abel got the #51 Coyne entry's first victory of the season over Sting Ray Robb in the #77 Juncos Hollinger Racing entry. This puts Abel and Robb on the same record with the tiebreaker going to Abel. 

Over the final two weeks, the #77 JHR entry will face the #4 Foyt at Mid-Oho and the #76 JHR car at the first Iowa race. The #51 Coyne entry has its bye for Mid-Ohio, but then it has the #30 RLLR entry at Iowa. If the #77 JHR fails to win both of the final two weeks, it will not qualify for the promotion playoff. If the #77 JHR wins one of the two, then it must have the #51 Coyne entry lose at Iowa.

That will be worth keeping an eye on. 

For the promotion playoff, those eight teams will be split into two groups and there will be a round robin over the second Iowa race, Toronto and Laguna Seca races. The top two from each group will advance to the semifinal at Portland before the final promotion spot will be secured at Milwaukee.

We will come back in July when we are on the verge of the playoffs.