IndyCar’s ‘dead rubber’ season finale at Laguna Seca was anything but dull as it was interrupted by eight caution periods. Why did chaos break out?
RJ O'Connell's articles on RaceFans

Motorsport has been a lifelong interest for RJ, both virtual and ‘in the carbon’, since childhood. RJ picked up motorsports writing as a hobby in 2014, which then blossomed into a more regular endeavour by 2017 – where he established a reputation for offering in-depth coverage of Japanese motorsports, in particular the Super GT Series and the Super Formula Championship, which was scarcely seen in western publications. American open-wheel racing has been a part of RJ’s interest in motorsport, and in 2021, he joined RaceFans as a writer covering the IndyCar Series.
Dixon emerges through carnage to win Laguna Seca finale
IndyCar
Posted onAfter eight safety car interventions, Scott Dixon overcame an early penalty to win the IndyCar season finale at Laguna Seca.
IndyCar to hold $1million pre-season exhibition race at Thermal Club
IndyCar
Posted onIndyCar will stage a non-championship race at the Thermal Club before next season, with a $1 million (£800,000) prize for its winner.
Rosenqvist takes last-second pole in final IndyCar start for McLaren
IndyCar
Posted onDays after announcing his move from McLaren to Meyer Shank, Felix Rosenqvist will start on pole position for the Grand Prix of Monterey.
Grosjean, Herta, McLaren – who most needs a win in rare ‘dead rubber’ IndyCar finale?
IndyCar
Posted onThe IndyCar championship may be decided but there is still a lot at stake in the final round at Laguna Seca this weekend.
‘He’s going to be in our car’ – Why Palou U-turned on his decision to leave Ganassi
IndyCar
Posted onNewly-minted two-times IndyCar champion Alex Palou has spurned McLaren in favour of Ganassi, a development which once seemed unlikely.
Palou clinches second IndyCar championship with dominant Portland GP win
IndyCar
Posted onAlex Palou clinched his second IndyCar championship in a style typical of his season with a dominant victory in the Portland Grand Prix.
Rahal claims pole again in Portland as Dixon outqualifies title rival Palou
IndyCar
Posted onGraham Rahal took his second IndyCar pole position of the year in Portland while championship rivals Scott Dixon and Alex Palou claimed fourth and fifth respectively.
How is the team which should have won IndyCar’s season opener still win-less?
IndyCar
Posted onMcLaren SP expanded to a three-car entry this year but despite almost winning the first race has still not claimed a victory in 2023.
Dixon wins again at Gateway as Newgarden crashes out of championship fight
IndyCar
Posted onScott Dixon scored his second consecutive IndyCar victory with a brilliant tactical drive in the Gateway 500, while Josef Newgarden crashed out of championship contention.
McLaughlin fastest but Newgarden takes pole at Gateway
IndyCar
Posted onScott McLaughlin was quickest in qualifying for today’s IndyCar race at Gateway but his Penske team mate Josef Newgarden will start from pole position.
Gateway 500 qualifying postponed to Sunday due to rain and lightning
IndyCar
Posted onQualifying for the IndyCar Gateway 500 has been postponed after persistent rain fell at the oval on Saturday.
Dixon makes history twice as he extends his record run of IndyCar wins
IndyCar
Posted onLast weekend’s IndyCar race was always going to be a landmark one for Scott Dixon – then he scored a surprise, record-extending victory.
Dixon spins but wins after resisting Rahal’s charge
IndyCar
Posted onScott Dixon held off Graham Rahal to win the Brickyard Grand Prix at Indy, after a first-lap incident which inflicted critical damage to Josef Newgarden’s slim title hopes.
Rahal ends six-year pole position drought at Indianapolis
IndyCar
Posted onGraham Rahal and Christian Lundgaard will start on the front row for the Brickyard Grand Prix at Indy tomorrow, after Rahal captured his first IndyCar pole position in over six years.
Why IndyCar chose “basic” Nashville track to replace Laguna Seca as its finale
IndyCar
Posted onWill a new, more “basic” version of Nashville’s street circuit make for a better venue for IndyCar’s season finale when it replaces Laguna Seca last year?
Kirkwood holds off McLaughlin to win in Nashville as Palou extends points lead
IndyCar
Posted onKyle Kirkwood drove to his second win of the IndyCar season, holding off pole winner Scott McLaughlin to win the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville.
McLaughlin waits out weather delays to beat O’Ward to Nashville pole
IndyCar
Posted onScott McLaughlin took pole position for this weekend’s Music City Grand Prix with a blistering final lap in qualifying.
Newgarden wanted much bigger points gain on Palou in Iowa
IndyCar
Posted onJosef Newgarden shaved 37 points off Alex Palou’s monstrous IndyCar points lead at Iowa Speedway, and looks poised to make yet another late-season run at the championship with five races remaining.
Newgarden sweeps Iowa weekend with dominant victory in second race
IndyCar
Posted onJosef Newgarden completed a sweep of both IndyCar races at Iowa and gained more ground on championship leader Alex Palou.