Indianapolis, IN
The 'great gift' Scott McLaughlin gave to Simon Pagenaud
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Scott McLaughlin is looking forward to the upcoming NTT IndyCar Series season.
The Team Penske driver is coming off arguably the best IndyCar season in his career. He finished in third place in the standings and won three races (Barber, Iowa No. 1, Milwaukee No. 2).
“Winning my first oval race was really special, and gave me that confidence to sort of springboard into this year knowing how important ovals are here, especially the Indianapolis 500,” McLaughlin said. “I’ve learned a lot over the last few years, but I feel more ready in this one.”
One of the most special moments for McLaughlin last year came at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, when he won the pole for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
“I picked the wrong Sunday,” joked McLaughlin. “I got to make sure that I’m at the right end of the last Sunday in May to be at the front. But learned a lot that year. To start on pole was incredible.”
McLaughlin made Indy 500 history with his pole run. He now has the fastest four-lap average pole speed (234.220 mph) in the history of the event.
McLaughlin led the most laps (66) in the race and finished in sixth place.
“Now I know what to expect,” McLaughlin said. “I never had led laps at the 500 before. It was the first time I was able to do that and be at the front. And if you said to me two years ago I would have finished sixth at the Indy 500, I would have been pumped. But, ultimately I was disappointed.”
McLaughlin credits a former Indy 500 winner for helping him find more and more success on the track.
Indy 500 champion Simon Pagenaud, who won the race in 2019, helped mentor McLaughlin, which ultimately led to a successful Month of May for the Team Penske driver.
“People will never understand how much he gave me,” McLaughlin said.
To show his appreciation to Pagenaud, McLaughlin gifted him the helmet he wore during his 2024 Indy 500 pole run.
“He opened his book,” McLaughlin said. “Regardless if he comes back and races or whatever he wants to do. He was fully up front with me, gave me tips on everything and I have nothing to repay him with apart from the pole helmet. I felt like that was a great gift and something that he can remember what he gave me.”
The duo has a special relationship that continues today.
“Ultimately if I ever win the race, he’s going to be right by my side,” McLaughlin said.
There will be someone else by McLaughlin’s side as well should he win an Indy 500.
McLaughlin and his wife Karly welcomed a baby girl, Lucy, this past October.
“Karly’s a superstar mom, my wife,” McLaughlin said. “Lucy, she’s been a great baby so far. We’re having a blast.”
The 2025 IndyCar Series kicks off on March 2 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Indianapolis, IN
INDOT says Clear Path 465 nears major milestone with final bridge beams
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Department of Transportation says the Clear Path 465 project is nearing one of its last major milestones.
On Monday, the state agency announced that 10 bridge beams for construction work are scheduled to be delivered and set this week. It marks the final beams required and the 14th bridge on the project.
The beams will be installed for a bridge on I-69, northbound, over 82nd Street. Drivers should expect closures from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. through early next week as crews complete the overhead work.
- Wednesday, April 15 & Thursday, April 16
- 82nd Street is closed in both directions under I-69
- Friday, April 17 – Monday, April 20
- Eastbound 82nd Street closed under I-69
- Tuesday, April 21 – Thursday, April 23
- Westbound 82nd Street is closed under I-69.
Scheduled work is pending weather conditions in the area.
The mainline portion of Clear Path is still expected to finish this spring. INDOT says drivers should expect traffic shifts on I-465. The shifts will open the interstate to three lanes in each direction.
Crews will install noise barriers and other final touches later this year. When that step is completed, I-465 will open to four lanes from the White River to Fall Creek.
Indianapolis, IN
Pike Township leaders plan to address issues with N Zone bar after weekend shootout
INDIANAPOLIS — A shootout at a troubled bar near 86th Street and Michigan Road sent two people to nearby St. Vincent Hospital early Sunday morning and has now prompted a review by IMPD’s Nuisance and Abatement Unit.
Police were dispatched to N Zone Bar and Grill shortly before 2 a.m. after a security guard called 911 and reported the shootout between a man at the bar and a person in a car in the parking lot.
Later that morning, two different people walked into St. Vincent Hospital on the north side of Indianapolis with gunshot wounds. The victims who checked into the hospital Sunday morning are believed to have been involved in the shooting.
“No one is immune, things are going to jump off in different areas,” Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson said. “But I would say (I’m) concern(ed).”
That concern from Johnson stems from the fact that the bar has been the subject of several complaints from people who live in the area, including homeowners associations. Those people have been reporting a host of issues at the establishment.
“Late-night fights, break-outs,” Johnson said. “To the left of that area, you have apartments that have been there in this community forever, and then you have a housing addition directly across the street.”
A neighboring business told FOX59/CBS4 they were not surprised to hear another incident had occurred given the bar’s past.
Just recently, video circulated on social media of a large brawl between several women in the parking lot of the bar. Reports made by IMPD show numerous calls to the location in recent years for things like gun crimes and fights.
In May 2022, a man was shot and critically wounded outside the bar. The establishment was shut down following that incident after officials discovered it did not have the proper permits.
Johnson said the fire department has been called to the bar at least 20 times since it opened, which she believes is a lot for a business like that.
“If you have too many complaints, you know what happens with those types of situations where residents will complain,” Johnson said. “Zoning and making reports on that that go downtown, and sometimes, you’re served papers that you may not be a business anymore.”
Johnson said she doesn’t want to see that happen and hopes to intervene so things don’t reach that level with N Zone. She said her next step will be reaching out for a conversation with the bar’s owners to try and give some best practices for them moving forward.
The facility appeared to be closed Sunday and Monday.
Police have not publicly announced if they identified or detained any suspects or persons of interest during their investigation of Sunday morning’s shooting.
IMPD said its nuisance and abatement team is aware of the location and working to determine if any enforcement action should be taken.
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis Colts Under Fire Following Daniel Jones Decision
Getty
Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts in action against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2026 NFL offseason needing to make a decision about the future of quarterback Daniel Jones.
After signing Jones last offseason to a one-year deal in free agency, the Colts liked what they saw from him in 2025. Unfortunately, his season came to an end early after he went down with a torn Achilles.
Before suffering that injury, Jones played in 13 games. He completed 68 percent of his pass attempts for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while also running for 164 yards and five more touchdowns.
Jones was a free agent entering the offseason. Indianapolis moved quickly to lock him in. The Colts signed the veteran quarterback to a massive two-year, $88 million contract.
Whether or not the move will pay off remains to be seen. It’s a big risk for Indianapolis, but Jones showed the potential of being a legitimate franchise quarterback before the injury occurred.
Colts Under Fire After Huge Daniel Jones Contract Decision
Chris Ballard and the Colts may be confident in Jones’ ability to be their starter moving forward. Not everyone agrees with the contract the team gave him.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport has named the move as one of the worst of the NFL offseason.
“Maybe Jones will be ready for Week 1 despite the severity of the injury. Maybe he can repeat last year’s success despite his struggles in New York. Maybe he’s the next Sam Darnold,” Davenport wrote.
“Or maybe the Colts should have let Jones play out the 2026 season on the transition tag while they saw how all those ‘maybes’ played out.”
Last season, Jones faced a lot of doubt as well. After his rocky tenure with the New York Giants, no one could be blamed for having reservations about the quarterback. However, after the way he played in 2025, Indianapolis feels good about its decision.
Indianapolis Has Had a Wild NFL Offseason So Far
Outside of the Jones move, the Colts have been very busy this offseason.
Along with re-signing Jones, the team also brought back wide receiver Alec Pierce. In order to make that move happen, they had to pay out a four-year deal worth $114 million.
Plenty of other moves have been made as well. Indianapolis traded star linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers and added pieces like defensive end Arden Key, defensive end Micheal Clemons, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, among others.
Most recently, the Colts have been hit with a trade request from cornerback Kenny Moore.
Only time will tell how the team’s offseason moves pan out. Indianapolis has taken some risk this offseason and still has holes to fill. However, the Colts looked like one of the best teams in the NFL during the first half of the 2025 season and may not be far off from Super Bowl contention.
Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey
More Heavy on Colts
Loading more stories
-
Atlanta, GA1 week ago1 teenage girl killed, another injured in shooting at Piedmont Park, police say
-
Georgia1 week agoGeorgia House Special Runoff Election 2026 Live Results
-
Arkansas4 days agoArkansas TV meteorologist Melinda Mayo retires after nearly four decades on air
-
Pennsylvania1 week agoParents charged after toddler injured by wolf at Pennsylvania zoo
-
Milwaukee, WI1 week agoPotawatomi Casino Hotel evacuated after fire breaks out in rooftop HVAC system
-
Austin, TX7 days agoABC Kite Fest Returns to Austin for Annual Celebration – Austin Today
-
Ohio9 hours ago‘Little Rascals’ star Bug Hall arrested in Ohio
-
World1 week agoZelenskyy warns US-Iran war could divert critical aid from Ukraine