IndyCar has a new points leader; standings shaken up mid-week

Scott Dixon's 57th career IndyCar win on the streets of Long Beach, California this past Sunday afternoon moved him from ninth to second place in the championship standings, 12 points behind Josef Newgarden. Newgarden won the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, where Dixon finished ninth, and finished fourth at Long Beach.

Now the six-time series champion finds himself leading the standings, with Newgarden down in 11th.

It was discovered in Long Beach that Team Penske had illegally manipulated the push-to-pass overtake system in St. Petersburg back on Sunday, March 10, and as a result, the decision came Wednesday to disqualify Newgarden and the No. 2 Chevrolet from that event.

Championship standings turned upside down

Scott McLaughlin, who finished in third place, was also disqualified 45 days later. He ends up with zero points from the season-opening weekend, whereas Newgarden has retained the point he earned by taking the pole position.

Will Power was docked 10 points, but it ended up only being a two-point net loss, as he was promoted from fourth to second place in the finishing order. Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward, the original runner-up, has been declared the new winner, giving him his first win since July 2022 at Iowa Speedway.

Andretti Global's Colton Herta is now up to second place in the standings, just two points behind Dixon, following finishes of third and second to start the year. Dixon's ninth place finish in the opener was changed to seventh, keeping him ahead of Sunday's runner-up. Thanks to Power's penalty, Herta has technically finished both races in second in points.

Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou, who finished in third place in Long Beach, is up to third in the standings after his sixth place finish in St. Petersburg was changed to fourth. O'Ward is now up to fourth from sixth, as he also passed Power. Power is Team Penske's highest driver in fifth. Newgarden now trails Dixon by 45.

McLaughlin, whose DNF in Long Beach netted him only five points, is now in 29th place in the standings, down from 10th. Only 29 drivers have competed in the series so far this season.

Full updated standings can be found here.

There is no six-week break between championship races this time around, with the season's third points race scheduled to take place at Barber Motorsports Park this Sunday, April 28. The Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix is set to be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss it!