Pato O’Ward wins first race of Indy doubleheader at Milwaukee

AP photo by Jenna Fryer / Pato O'Ward, an Arrow McLaren Racing driver from Mexico, wears a sombrero while sitting next to Juncos Hollinger Racing driver Conor Daly during a news conference after Saturday's IndyCar race at the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wis. O'Ward won the race, Team Penske's Will Power was second and Daly finished third. AP photo by Jenna Fryer / Pato O'Ward, an Arrow McLaren Racing driver from Mexico, wears a sombrero while sitting next to Juncos Hollinger Racing driver Conor Daly during a news conference after Saturday's IndyCar race at the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wis. O'Ward won the race, Team Penske's Will Power was second and Daly finished third.

By JENNA FRYER / The Associated Press August 31, 2024 5 min read

WEST ALLIS, Wis. — The Arrow McLaren Racing team members began scheming the moment Pato O’Ward took the lead in Saturday’s IndyCar race at the Milwaukee Mile.

Miffed that NASCAR announced earlier in the week that its top-tier Cup Series will race in Mexico City next year — beating IndyCar to the punch to get O’Ward into an event in his home country— he has spent the weekend criticizing IndyCar leadership for the whiff.

So a team employee ran to the “Pato Shop” — IndyCar’s most popular driver is so beloved he has his own merchandise truck at most events — to grab one of the $149.99 sombreros. The 25-year-old from Monterrey then wore it to his victory news conference.

Runner-up Will Power of Team Penske immediately said: “We really should be in Mexico City, not NASCAR.”

O’Ward replied: “Pato who?”