IndyCar Gradebook: Milwaukee 250s
- Dan Jones
- 2 hours ago
- 13 min read
For the one and only time this year, there are two races to reflect on in IndyCar Gradebook, as the Milwaukee Mile hosted a chaotic double-header weekend. Pato O'Ward took home both the victories, as Álex Palou celebrated a fifth series championship in a weekend full of stories up and down the field. DIVEBOMB IndyCar Correspondent Dan Jones graded how all 25 drivers fared in Milwaukee.
NOTE: In most instances, the two halves of Race 1 have been mentioned together to avoid confusion between races.
Chip Ganassi Racing
No.8 - Kyffin Simpson - C-
Although Kyffin Simpson has shown more promise on ovals in recent times, Milwaukee proved a very tough weekend for the Cayman Islander. Simpson qualified just 17th and 18th and had very little impact in either of the races, finishing 16th and 18th, two laps down in the latter. it never felt like a weekend that clicked for Simpson, as he was the weakest of the Ganassi drivers and unable to unlock that promise he has displayed on other ovals.
No.9 - Scott Dixon - C-
It is a shame in many ways that Scott Dixon's Chip Ganassi Racing career has had such an unceremonious end and Milwaukee was a continuation of what has been a brutal stretch of races for Dixon. He qualified a fairly unflattering 15th and 10th and although he tried to do something different on strategy in Race 2, he was gobbled up by the field as he collapsed down the order. Dixon finished 18th and 15th, a lap down in both races in another underwhelming weekend.
No.10 - Álex Palou - B+
It rather felt as if the primary goal of the Milwaukee weekend for Palou was to get the championship over the line, a goal that was completed in comfortable fashion as Palou celebrated a fifth IndyCar title at the conclusion of Race 1. Although Palou was wisely not choosing any battles in Race 1, he had still had a relatively strong weekend up. He qualified third for Race 1 and earned an eighth pole of the year with a stunning lap for Race 2. Palou started Race 2 in superb fashion as he pulled out a comfortable lead early on, before the Spaniard started to struggle in traffic, and lost out to those who could navigate the slower cars better. A fifth-place finish was a good result though considering the pace of others around him, before he rounded out his weekend with a 10th place finish in Race 1. A weekend that Palou won't reflect on as one of his best, but one he will have very happy memories of.
Team Penske
No.2 - Josef Newgarden - B-
There's something about the Milwaukee Mile that hasn't clicked for the driver who has been regarded as the best on ovals in the series, as Josef Newgarden failed to maximise the potential that he had during the weekend. Newgarden qualified well in fifth and third and was unsurprisingly a competitor throughout both races. Newgarden had looked mighty at the start of stints but appeared vulnerable towards the end of his runs, which cost him vital track position in both races. His Race 2 ended with a self-inflicted incident as he clumsily spun off Turn 4 and although he showed good pace at the resumption of Race 1, he was fighting his car throughout and had to settle for seventh, despite being the only driver with sticker tyres spare. For once, he outshone by his teammates on ovals.
No.3 - Scott McLaughlin - A
Although Scott McLaughlin's winless drought still has not been broken, Milwaukee was arguably his strongest weekend of 2026, as the New Zealander took the Race 1 pole and competed for victory in both of Sunday's races. Race 2 saw McLaughlin qualify eighth after a small error on his second lap and despite some early race struggles, a strategy gamble saw McLaughlin come back into play as he was able to contend with those on much fresher tyres. That eventually saw him finish an impressive second as strategies merged. McLaughlin was also on an alternate strategy as Race 1 restarted, and was once again competing for a podium position. He looked nailed on for third until he was held up by Dixon late on, which cost him a position to Rinus VeeKay. He was unfortunate to not take two trophies home but it was nevertheless an impressive weekend for McLaughlin.
No.12 - David Malukas - A
It is rather understandable why David Malukas feels 'cursed' in 2026 as yet another stroke of misfortune cost him a maiden career victory, as a plenum event late on in Race 1 saw him helpless as he lost his lead to O'Ward. Despite Malukas' frustrations, he still had yet another outstanding weekend. Qualifying had been a mixed bag, with Malukas second for Race 1 but just 14th in Race 2, but he made up for his Race 2 qualifying struggles with excellent stint pace in his penultimate stint to finish fourth. He was even more impressive when Race 1 restarted though, as he glided through traffic and built up a comfortable lead by extending stints. There was nothing Malukas could have done more to stop O'Ward as he had to settle for another agonising second-place finish, but once Malukas looks through the heartbreak, he has another weekend to be proud of.
Andretti Global
No.26 - Will Power - B-
Although the three previous races to Milwaukee looked like Power had overcome his small, but regular 2026 mishaps, two such errors cost him dear in Milwaukee. After qualifying sixth for Race 1 and fifth for Race 2, Power showed excellent race pace once again - particularly late on in stints when others struggled. He suddenly vaulted into win contention midway through Race 2 and was leading on his strategy before a pit speed violation penalty dropped him to 14th. He had a chance to redeem himself in Race 1 though, as he once again was in podium contention before he got too high in Turn 4 on Lap 200, as he coasted toward the barrier, unable to avoid the marbles that had built up. A great weekend pace-wise but was once again let down by minor errors having huge consequences.
No.27 - Kyle Kirkwood - B
Kyle Kirkwood's Friday crash with Christian Rasmussen meant that Milwaukee was always going to be a difficult weekend, but Kirkwood did a respectable job considering the circumstances. There was no surprises that he could only manage just 22nd and 24th in qualifying, but he came alive in the races, one of very few who was able to use the third lane on the track. That meant by midway of Race 2, he was competing for the podium before he dropped back slightly to sixth at the chequered flag. He had made good progress in Race 1 too by undercutting the field before the delay. However, he lost valuable time in the pits after committing to pitlane moments before the yellow came out for Mick Schumacher, meaning that Kirkwood could only manage a 15th place finish. An unfortunate ending but a valiant showing for Kirkwood given his limited practice running.
No.28 - Marcus Ericsson - B
It maybe says a lot about Marcus Ericsson's progress this season that an eighth and ninth place pair of finishes feel underwhelming, considering he had only two top 10 finishes in the entirety of 2025. Qualifying was not easy for Ericsson, who could only manage 14th and 13th but the Swede made methodical progress in both races. That said, he was the weakest of the Andretti's in race trim and could not match the fantastic short oval performance he demonstrated at Gateway. Not a bad weekend by any means, but Ericsson's form means that you would be right in expecting more.
Arrow McLaren
No.5 - Pato O'Ward - A+
I said in last week's Gradebook that things just have not clicked for O'Ward in 2026 and while I stand by that, things clicked from the get go for O'Ward at Milwaukee, which proved to be the most successful weekend of his IndyCar career. O'Ward and McLaren were strong out the blocks, with the Mexican qualifying fourth for Race 1 and missing out on pole by 0.0003 seconds for Race 2. He comfortably held onto the Race 1 pole he inherited on Saturday, even if he struggled with traffic early on. When Race 1 was eventually suspended, O'Ward's strong form continued, even if a slow stop dropped O'Ward down the order. From that point on, he made steady progress through good strategy and huge bravery on restarts, as he eventually found his way back into the lead, a lead which he would never relinquish. Once he strapped back in for Race 1, O'Ward picked up from where he left off in Race 2, and although he got a stroke of luck from Malukas' misfortune, he was near-faultless on his way to a second victory of the day. Milwaukee was O'Ward at his very, very best, it is just a shame he has not been able to show it more often in 2026.
And for those of you who are wondering what on earth more O'Ward had to do to earn the first A* grade, my reasoning is that he was fortunate with Malukas' issue in Race 1 as well as not quite having the pace of others in qualifying - you really do have to be perfect for the top, top grade.
No.6 - Nolan Siegel - D
The Milwaukee double-header was a disaster from the very start for Nolan Siegel. A crash in his second practice lap lost him all the practice session available throughout the weekend, as he unsurprisingly qualified last in his first laps back in the car. The lack of running left him uncompetitive during the races as he finished 13th and 17th respectively. When you saw what his teammates were capable of, you could only feel there was so much more on the table for Siegel.
No.7 - Christian Lundgaard - A
In his final oval weekend with McLaren, Lundgaard ironically showed that is certainly is a capable oval driver, with his best career showing on such track type. A 10th and 11th set of qualifying efforts were by no means spectacular, but Lundgaard came alive during the races, most notably in Race 2. He found his way into the podium positions early on and was comfortable in making his way through the field. Lundgaard was certainly a threat for victory until a slow pitstop cost him valuable time, but he nevertheless remained composed for a first oval podium. Although Race 1 did not have the same result, Lundgaard once again looked at ease overtaking cars and was once again in podium contention. Although it did not yield on this occasion, a sixth-place finish was a good showing as Lundgaard proved that he was a better oval driver then maybe his employers considered him as.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No.15 - Graham Rahal - D-
Graham Rahal's struggles on ovals have been well documented over the last few seasons and Milwaukee was yet another tale of oval woe for the IndyCar veteran. Rahal was significantly off the pace of his teammates in qualifying, as he managed just 20th and 19th and proved hopelessly uncompetitive in both races, often being the first car the leaders caught up to as he ran several miles an hour off the pace. He finished an embarrassing four laps down in Race 1 and three laps down in Race 2, finishing in 23rd and 22nd respectively. Considering the gulf in performance in teammates, when do you consider what extent of Rahal's issues are down to him?
No.45 - Louis Foster - B+
Milwaukee was comfortably the best that Louis Foster has ever looked on an oval, with the Briton earning his first oval top 10 in Race 2. Foster surprisingly impressed in qualifying, being the top Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) driver in ninth for Race 1 whilst he lined up sixth for Race 2. While previously RLL drivers have fallen off quickly after qualifying well on ovals, Foster comfortably held his own well in both races, even running within the top five on occasion. Although such positions could not stand as he lost out to faster cars, a 10th and 11th were a strong pair of finishes for Foster and a huge step forward from what the Briton has previously displayed on ovals.
No.47 - Mick Schumacher - B
Schumacher's surprising comfort on ovals continued into Milwaukee where the German showed well once again. Schumacher qualified mid-pack in 13th for Race 1 but starred with a fourth-place effort for Race 2. Schumacher impressively held into such position, like he was unable to do in Phoenix, and although he struggled on restarts, he managed a decent 13th-place finish. Race 1 was a bit more wild for Schumacher, who spun after colliding with Romain Grosjean but recovered well, as he was able to manage a 12th-place finish at the chequered flag - continuing an uptick in form for Schumacher late on in his rookie season.
Meyer Shank Racing
No.60 - Felix Rosenqvist - C
Milwaukee proved a bizarre weekend for Felix Rosenqvist, who showed incredible pace at times, but rather poor pace on other occasions as he unfortunately left Wisconsin with little reward. Rosenqvist qualified well in eighth and seventh but strangely struggled early on in Race 2 after being one of the early pace-sitters in Race 1. Race 2 proved tricky for Rosenqvist, who had to make an unscheduled stop also while struggling for speed, which resulted in a 20th-place finish. Race 1 had looked mightily encouraging in the first half, as Rosenqvist was able to compete with the frontrunners and looked good in traffic as others struggled, even building up a seven-second lead before losing out in the first pit sequence. However, he cycled further-and-further back from that point, finishing only 17th after struggling for grip in his final stint. A hugely encouraging start to Race 1 but ultimately a rather disappointing weekend.
No.66 - Marcus Armstrong - B-
It was a quieter weekend for Armstrong in comparison to most others, as the New Zealander finally a broke a seven race streak without a top 10 with a ninth-place finish in Race 1. Armstrong qualified in 16th and ninth - some way off his teammate and showed little in Race 2 as he finished 16th at the finish. Race 1 was better for Armstrong though, who significantly benefitted from Schumacher's yellow as he was able to pit under the caution. Although he struggled in the final stints, he held on for that long-awaited return to the top 10.
Ed Carpenter Racing
No.20 - Alexander Rossi - C
It was another unspectacular weekend for Alexander Rossi, who struggled to unlock the pace that Ed Carpenter Racing have previously displayed on ovals. Rossi managed 11th and 16th in qualifying but vaulted up into podium contention before the Race 1 pause as he was the first driver to make significant use of the particularly powerful undercut. However, when the race restarted, Rossi struggled for pace as he dropped to 14th. Race 2 was also unspectacular, with Rossi finishing 11th at the chequered flag, a lap down.
No.21 - Christian Rasmussen - B+
Much like Kirkwood, considering the state that Rasmussen's car was in on Friday afternoon, a fifth and eighth place set of finishes will be a very satisfying result for the Dane, as he all but confirms his spot in the Leaders' Circle. Qualifying was unsurprisingly a bit of a struggle for Rasmussen, who managed 18th and 17th but everybody knew that both races would be a very different story. Although it was not the usual fireworks that Rasmussen has shown on a short oval, he was nonetheless strong, in particular during Race 2, as he made steady progress to bring home a top 10 finish. He looked in contention late on in Race 1 after a late yellow but was unable to replicate his heroics of a year ago, albeit still achieving a well-deserved fifth place finish.
AJ Foyt Racing
No.4 - Caio Collet - D-
Despite his star showing at Gateway earlier this year, ovals have not come easy for Caio Collet with Milwaukee proving his toughest weekend in IndyCar. Collet qualified 21st for both races, but really struggled for pace, being alongside Rahal as one of the first cars to be lapped in both races. His Race 1 ended in unfortunate fashion after colliding with Newgarden, but he was unlikely to make an impact anyway, given he had finished four laps down in Race 2. A tough weekend for the rookie, who has effectively seen Rookie of the Year fall out of his grasp.
No.14 - Santino Ferrucci - C-=
The oval form that Santino Ferrucci wowed so many with a few years ago has seemed to have progressively faded over recent seasons, as was the case in Milwaukee. Ferrucci qualified particularly poorly in 24th and 22nd and managed only 20th and 12th in the races, at least a lap down in each. He had a comfortable edge over his teammate, but still lacked the spark we have seen him provide on short ovals.
Juncos Hollinger Racing
No.76 - Rinus VeeKay - A
A first podium of the year for Rinus VeeKay had started to feel a case of 'when, not if' in recent races, and he fulfilled on that potential in Milwaukee to take a richly-deserved third place finish. Starting 24th due to an engine penalty in Race 1, VeeKay was superb in his utilisation of the high line, being unafraid to go to the third lane in a way nobody else could. By the time Race 1 restarted, VeeKay continued his excellent racecraft, able to fight it out with the best of the best. Another fourth-place finish looked destiny until he took advantage of McLaughlin's traffic struggles to take a first podium with Juncos. Although Race 2 didn't provide the same yields, VeeKay was as competitive as he led the race for some 25 laps, easily able to carve his way through traffic. Although he was let down in the pitstop exchanges it did not take away from yet another fine performance as VeeKay's sensational season finally has some hardware with it.
No.77 - Sting Ray Robb - D
Milwaukee was some of the same old story that has been Sting Ray Robb's 2026 season, as the American struggled for pace throughout the weekend. Robb qualified in 23rd for both races and was unable to show much in either race as he finished 22nd and 18th respectively, multiple laps down in each.
Dale Coyne Racing
No.18 - Romain Grosjean - C
It was a hero-and-zero weekend for Grosjean, who at times was showing oval form that he has never shown before but was also causing havoc wherever he went. Qualifying was a mixed bag for the Frenchman in 12th and 20th respectively. However, he came alive during the races early on, in particular Race 2 where he gained 10 positions in the opening four laps. He endured a half-spin of his own doing in Lap 35 before he crashed all by himself on the Lap 156 restart. He was not in the headlines as much in Race 1, barring his incident with Schumacher as he came home in 19th with little to show for, at times, his excellent racecraft.
No.19 - Dennis Hauger - C
Hauger's Milwaukee weekend was certainly one of two halves, as the Norwegian impressed with a seventh and 15th place qualifying effort before he was unable to show much in either race. Hauger, as well as Grosjean, had tried to extend their stint in the opening half of Race 1, but with the undercut so powerful, it had trapped them both a lap down before the race had been restarted. It was unfortunate for Hauger, who could therefore only manage 21st, with his Race 2 seeing him finish in the same position in a relatively quiet race.
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