With Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon having clawed his way up to third it was assumed by some – including the Kiwi six-time champion – that Team Penske would go against its openly stated convention of letting its drivers race, and ask long-time leader McLaughlin to move aside for the closely following Power to maximise his points haul.
However, that call did not come, and McLaughlin went on to score his third win of the year ahead of Power. The 2014 champion heads to this weekend's Laguna Seca championship finale with a 20-point lead over team-mate Josef Newgarden and Dixon, who are both tied on 503.
