Scott McLaughlin shifts to DJR Team Penske in 2017 - MotorSportsTalk

Scott McLaughlin will replace another Scott, Scott Pye, in DJR Team Penske’s 2017 lineup in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship (formerly V8 Supercars).

McLaughlin was announced late Monday for the switch from Garry Rogers Motorsport, and will join Fabian Coulthard in a two-car lineup next year. Both Coulthard and Pye were on site at this year’s Indianapolis 500 to support Team Penske’s IndyCar efforts.

McLaughlin’s only 23 but is one of the rising stars in the series, currently third in points, and with already eight race wins.

“There’s no question that Scott McLaughlin is one of the top drivers in the series and we’re excited to bring him aboard at DJR Team Penske,” said team founder Dick Johnson in a release.

“With the combination of McLaughlin and Coulthard we look forward to chasing race wins next season in what really is the most competitive touring cars series in the world.”

Roger Penske said, “We have watched Scott closely over the last few seasons and have admired his talent and his ability to get the best results out of his car week in and week out.

“As we continue raise the level of performance at DJR Team Penske we believe he will be a key addition to our Team on and off the track.”

Added McLaughlin, “This is a great opportunity for me to join one of the most accomplished Supercar teams in history and, hopefully, we can continue to grow together.

“I want to thank two absolute motorsport legends in Dick Johnson and Roger Penske for believing in me. I’m really excited about the future with the organization.”

Penske Racing president Tim Cindric said he still wants the best for Pye, who’s now a free agent, but temporarily sidelined now that McLaughlin became available.

“Scott Pye was the driver who gave us our first pole and our first podium and I think he still has a lot of potential,” Cindric said in a media teleconference, via the series website.

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An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”