Pato O'Ward Tired of Being IndyCar's Support Act

Pato O'Ward, the 2025 IndyCar season runner-up, shared his candid thoughts on sharing race weekends with NASCAR's truck series, particularly at St. Petersburg. He voiced his fatigue with IndyCar being perceived as the "support race" or "side show" when appearing alongside NASCAR, despite acknowledging fan enjoyment of such "doubleheaders."

O'Ward admitted to not closely following NASCAR, typically only checking on friends' performances. His focus remains on his own racing commitments and personal well-being. He also elaborated on his decision to miss the 2026 24 Hours of Daytona, citing the need for rest after fulfilling obligations with the McLaren Formula 1 team.

He emphasized the importance of his off-season for personal recovery and family time, which he values highly. Looking ahead, O'Ward expressed openness to returning to the 24 Hours of Daytona, but only under specific conditions. His preference would be to compete exclusively in the LMDH (GTP) category with the explicit goal of achieving an overall win.