Let’s Look at the League - June 2026

Since 2019, we have broken IndyCar into a league format, meant for head-to-head matchups occurring during races with the best driver being declared the winner and each driver facing someone new each race. After a regular season, we have a playoff for the champion, while a few teams fight to remain in the top league while others go for promotion to the top tier. 

We set the table before the season started, and since we are already pass the halfway point of the season, we are nearing the end. We are closer to the end of the regular season than the start. The playoff picture and the relegation fight has already shaped up. We know who is in trouble, and we know who is sitting pretty.

League One

We are beyond the halfway point for League One, and for a few teams it is clear they will be fighting for a championship. A few others are hoping to stay alive for top flight competition in 2027. Some are already firmly against the wall. 

Just a reminder, the top four from each conference will advance to the playoffs, fifth from each conference will secure a spot in League One for 2027, sixth and seventh will participate in the relegation playoff, and eighth will automatically be relegated.

Results

	Conference #1	Conference #2
Week #1 (St.Petersburg)	#10 CGR def. #6 McLaren (1-20)	#5 McLaren def. #14 Foyt (5-24)
	#27 Andretti def. #21 ECR (4-19)	#18 Coyne def. #9 CGR (8-23)
	#7 McLaren def. #2 Penske (3-7)	#60 MSR def. #4 Foyt (12-17)
	#12 Penske def. #26 Andretti (13-22)	#3 Penske def. #66 MSR (2-11)
Week #2 (Phoenix)	#21 ECR def. #10 CGR (14-21)	#5 McLaren def. #18 Coyne (4-25)
	#27 Andretti def. #6 McLaren (2-20)	#9 CGR def. #14 Foyt (7-11)
	#12 Penske def. #7 McLaren (3-13)	#3 Penske def. #60 MSR (8-12)
	#2 Penske def. #26 Andretti (1-16)	#66 MSR def. #4 Foyt (5-19)
Week #3 (Arlington)	#10 CGR def. #2 Penske (2-15)	#5 McLaren def. #4 Foyt (5-12)
	#27 Andretti def. #12 Penske (1-6)	#9 CGR def. #3 Penske (8-11)
	#7 McLaren def. #6 McLaren (2-19)	#14 Foyt def. #60 MSR (17-19)
	#26 Andretti def. #21 ECR (3-25)	#66 MSR def. #18 Coyne (10-23)
Week #4 (Barber)	#10 CGR def. #12 Penske (1-4)	#3 Penske def. #5 McLaren (16-17)
	#27 Andretti def. #2 Penske (5-10)	#9 CGR def. #4 Foyt (7-21)
	#7 McLaren def. #21 ECR (2-19)	#60 MSR def. #18 Coyne (13-15)
	#26 Andretti def. #6 McLaren (12-18)	#66 MSR def. #14 Foyt (6-8)
Week #5  (Long Beach)	#10 CGR def. #26 Andretti (1-19)	#5 McLaren def. #66 MSR (5-24)
	#27 Andretti def. #7 McLaren (4-20)	#60 MSR def. #9 CGR (2-3)
	#12 Penske def. #6 McLaren (7-12)	#3 Penske def. #14 Foyt (6-18)
	#2 Penske def. #21 ECR (14-15)	#18 Coyne def. #4 Foyt (21-22)
Week #6 (Grand Prix of Indianapolis)	#7 McLaren def. #10 CGR (1-5)	#5 McLaren def. #60 MSR (18-23)
	#27 Andretti def. #26 Andretti (9-13)	#9 CGR def. #66 MSR (6-11)
	#12 Penske def. #21 ECR (2-24)	#3 Penske def. #18 Coyne (16-21)
	#2 Penske def. #6 McLaren (4-10)	#14 Foyt def. #4 Foyt (14-19)
Week #7 (Indianapolis 500)	#10 CGR def. #27 Andretti (7-16)	#5 McLaren def. #9 CGR (4-15)
	#7 McLaren def. #26 Andretti (17-29)	#60 MSR def. #66 MSR (1-5)
	#12 Penske def. #2 Penske (2-28)	#3 Penske def. #4 Foyt (3-26)
	#6 McLaren def. #21 ECR (11-27)	#14 Foyt def. #18 Coyne (8-9)
Week #8 (Detroit)	#10 CGR def. #6 McLaren (1-15)	#5 McLaren def. #14 Foyt (4-23)
	#27 Andretti def. #21 ECR (2-25)	#18 Coyne def. #9 CGR (20-24)
	#7 McLaren def. #2 Penske (5-10)	#60 MSR def. #4 Foyt (6-16)
	#12 Penske def. #26 Andretti (18-22)	#66 MSR def. #3 Penske (11-19)
Week #9 (Gateway)	#21 ECR def. #10 CGR (3-17)	#5 McLaren def. #18 Coyne (11-15)
	#27 Andretti def. #6 McLaren (6-24)	#9 CGR def. #14 Foyt (12-13)
	#12 Penske def. #7 McLaren (7-10)	#3 Penske def. #60 MSR (5-14)
	#2 Penske def. #26 Andretti (1-8)	#18 Coyne def. #66 MSR (15-24)
Week #10 (Road America)	#10 CGR def. #2 Penske (5-22)	#5 McLaren def. #4 Foyt (12-16)
	#12 Penske def. #27 Andretti (2-10)	#9 CGR def. #3 Penske (7-11)
	#7 McLaren def. #6 McLaren (1-21)	#60 MSR def. #14 Foyt (8-9)
	#26 Andretti def. #21 ECR (3-25)	#18 Coyne def. #66 MSR (15-24)

Conference One Standings

#12 Penske 8-2

#27 Andretti 8-2

#10 Ganassi 7-3

#7 McLaren 7-3

#2 Penske 4-6

#26 Andretti 3-7

#21 ECR 2-8

#6 McLaren 1-9

Conference One is starting to separate between the playoff teams and the non-playoff teams. Three games separate fourth and fifth with five weeks remaining. It is getting late early. The battle to focus on could be for the #1-seed as the four current playoff teams are all within a game of one another. 

We start with a bang at Mid-Ohio as the #12 Penske entry will face the #10 Ganassi entry. The #10 Ganassi entry won its first meeting at Barber, and another victory would give the #10 Ganassi entry the head-to-head tiebreaker. The #10 Ganassi entry will face the #7 McLaren at Portland and the #27 Andretti at Markham. The #7 McLaren and #27 Andretti will face at Nashville.

The #12 Penske has a favorable schedule after Mid-Ohio with its next three matchups against the #6 McLaren, #21 ECR and #2 Penske.

As for the relegation battle, the #21 ECR entry is up a game, but the #6 McLaren's only victory was at the Indianapolis 500 over the #21 ECR entry, and these two will meet again at Markham. 

Conference Two Standings

#5 McLaren 9-1

#3 Penske 8-2

#60 Meyer Shank 6-4

#9 Ganassi 5-5

#66 Meyer Shank 5-5

#18 Coyne 4-6

#14 Foyt 3-7

#4 Foyt 0-10

It is a little closer around the playoff spots in Conference Two. The #5 McLaren is on top and at Mid-Ohio, it will face the #3 Penske. At Barber Motorsports Park, the #3 Penske won the first meeting against the #5 McLaren, and it could claim the head-to-head tiebreaker at Mid-Ohio.

Anyone third through seventh could make it or fall short. The #9 Ganassi entry will face the #60 MSR entry at Nashville and the #66 MSR at Portland. The #18 Coyne has the #60 MSR at Mid-Ohio before facing the #4 Foyt, the #3 Penske and the #14 Foyt over the next three weeks. 

The #4 Foyt entry is against the wall. No victories this season and with five weekends left, it soon will be facing needing to win out with at least the #14 Foyt losing out. The two entries will face at Markham in week 14. 

League Two

The big difference between the two leagues is League Two is a double-round robin, and each teams faces the other twice. There are no playoffs, but 18 weeks and the top three from League Two will be promoted to League One for 2027. As there are an odd-number of teams in League Two with nine entries participating, each team has two bye weeks.

Results

Week #1 (St.Petersburg)	#19 Coyne def. #20 ECR (10-16)
	#8 Ganassi def. #47 RLLR (15-25)
	#76 JHR def. #77 JHR (9-21)
	#45 RLLR def. #15 RLLR (14-18)
Week #2 (Phoenix)	#20 ECR def. #47 RLLR (6-18)
	#8 Ganassi def. #28 Andretti (10-17)
	#19 Coyne def. #76 JHR (15-22)
	#77 JHR def. #45 RLLR (21-23)
Week #3 (Arlington)	#20 ECR def. #77 JHR (9-21)
	#45 RLLR def. #8 Ganassi (13-19)
	#28 Andretti def. #76 JHR (4-14)
	#15 RLLR def. #47 RLLR (18-22)
Week #4 (Barber)	#20 ECR def. #45 RLLR (11-25)
	#15 RLLR def. #76 JHR (3-14)
	#28 Andretti def. #19 Coyne (9-23)
	#77 JHR def. #47 RLLR (22-24)
Week #5  (Long Beach)	#20 ECR def. #28 Andretti (9-25)
	#8 Ganassi def. #77 JHR (10-23)
	#76 JHR def. #47 RLLR (13-17)
	#15 RLLR def. #19 Coyne (8-11)
Week #6 (Grand Prix of Indianapolis)	#15 RLLR def. #20 ECR (3-25)
	#19 Coyne def. #8 Ganassi (8-12)
	#77 JHR def. #28 Andretti (17-22)
	#45 RLLR def. #47 RLLR (7-20)
Week #7 (Indianapolis 500)	#76 JHR def. #20 ECR (6-30)
	#8 Ganassi def. #15 RLLR (14-20)
	#28 Andretti def. #45 RLLR (13-21)
	#47 RLLR def. #19 Coyne (18-19)
Week #8 (Detroit)	#8 Ganassi def. #20 ECR (9-17)
	#45 RLLR def. #76 JHR (7-12)
	#15 RLLR def. #28 Andretti (3-8)
	#19 Coyne def. #77 JHR (13-14)
Week #9 (Gateway)	#76 JHR def. #8 Ganassi (4-21)
	#77 JHR def. #15 RLLR (19-23)
	#28 Andretti def. #47 RLLR (2-16)
	#45 RLLR def. #19 Coyne (20-25)
Week #10 (Road America)	#20 ECR def. #19 Coyne (6-20)
	#8 Ganassi def. #47 RLLR (4-17)
	#76 JHR def. #77 JHR (18-19)
	#45 RLLR def. #15 RLLR (14-23)

League Two Standings

#45 RLLR 6-3

#8 Ganassi 6-3

#15 RLLR 5-4

#76 JHR 5-4

#20 ECR 5-4

#28 Andretti 4-4

#19 Coyne 4-5

#77 JHR 4-5

#47 RLLR 1-8

League Two has been stupid even. It is really up for anyone over the remaining weeks... except the #47 RLLR entry. I think it is safe to say it is an eight-horse race with eight weeks remaining.

At the top of the league, #45 RLLR defeated the #8 Ganassi at Arlington, and they will meet again in Nashville. 

In the three-way tiebreaker for third, the #15 RLLR holds the edge as its defeated the #76 JHR entry at Barber and the #20 ECR in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. The #15 RLLR will face those two entries again at Portland and Washington, D.C. respectively. The #76 JHR got the better of the #20 ECR at the Indianapolis 500, and they will meet in the first Milwaukee race.

The #28 Andretti entry is the first to complete both its bye weeks. In its first three meetings with the three entries just ahead of it in the standings, the #28 Andretti went 1-2, losing to the #20 ECR entry at Long Beach and losing to the #15 RLLR entry at Detroit. The #28 Andretti defeated the #76 JHR entry at Arlington. 

We will be back in a few weeks once we are closer to deciding the playoff picture, and see who is a playoff contender, who will have work to do, and who will have their fate sealed, and not in a good way.