Ohio
Pato O’Ward credits “textbook” execution for Mid-Ohio IndyCar win
Pato O’Ward finally broke through for his first victory of the season at the Honda Indy 200, anchoring a historic day for Arrow McLaren at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Behind the wheel of the #5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, the 27-year-old secured his first podium of the year by winning. This victory was the team’s first-ever 1-2 finish in the IndyCar Series.
O’Ward entered the weekend with a remarkably consistent season, boasting six top-five finishes, but he had yet to crack the top three. That changed on Mid-Ohio’s 2.258-mile, 13-turn natural road course, where he put together a calm drive and controlled the field by leading 45 of the race’s 90 laps.
The decisive pass
The defining moment of the race occurred on Lap 42. O’Ward had been shadowing his teammate, Christian Lundgaard, all weekend as the duo virtually matched each other pace-for-pace. When Lundgaard made a costly slip in Turn 2, O’Ward didn’t hesitate.
“I was positioning myself to pounce on an opportunity whenever he would make a mistake,” O’Ward said. “So I was banking on that he was going to make one, and he did. That’s what ultimately gave me the opportunity, and I took full advantage of it. It’s always more fun to do it on track over a pit stop sequence or something.”
Pit work makes the difference
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
While O’Ward took care of business on the tarmac, he was quick to credit his crew for protecting the advantage after delivering flawless execution on Sunday.
“It’s great that the first podium of the year for me is a win,” O’Ward said. “We’ve had performances, and I think today was a textbook showing of execution. I want to give it to my guys in the pits; they were phenomenal. I know they’ve been working so hard because this year that has been a bit of a challenge, and I know they’re working so hard to give me the pit stops that they gave me today. I know they’ve been working hard for that.
“I really want to recognize that because they make or break my race. They truly allowed me to fight my way and keep my position today as we were fighting on track.
“Obviously the cars have been strong all weekend. It’s been a very strong weekend for all three cars. It was a matter of being perfect.”
O’Ward eyes late-season push
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
The victory injects a massive dose of momentum into O’Ward’s championship campaign as the series heads into the final stretch. Through 11 of 18 rounds, he now sits fifth in the championship standings, 94 points behind leader Alex Palou (404–310).
With strong historical tracks on the horizon, O’Ward believes a late-season title charge is entirely realistic if the team maintains this elite level of form.
“If we keep having weekends like today, certainly so,” O’Ward said. “That would be fantastic. Obviously Nashville has been a great place for me and the team. Portland we’ve been very strong, as well. Markham, we’ve had the best street course results that we’ve had in quite some time this year. I’m excited for Markham. I’m excited for Washington. That one is going to be crazy. Milwaukee, we’ve won there before.
“There’s plenty of opportunities left. I’m not changing my approach. It’s going to be the same as it’s been all year. I didn’t really change it this weekend, either.”
Ohio State will travel to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 31 to face USC in a much-anticipated matchup between the two blue bloods and first as Big Ten opponents.
The Buckeyes present the toughest offensive triplets — consisting of a starting quarterback, lead running back and a top pass catcher, the Trojans are set to face in 2026.
Ohio State Offensive Triplets
It’s a close debate between them and Oregon. The Ducks have the advantage at quarterback with Dante Moore, but the Buckeyes have the edge at running back and wide receiver.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is the only returning Heisman finalist in college football. The Southern California native was excellent in his first season as the starter in Columbus.
Sayin threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns last season. His biggest superpower is his accuracy. When he gets in a rhythm, the Buckeyes redshirt sophomore signal-caller is surgical. Sayin’s 77.0 completion percentage set a new is a Big Ten Record. He enters this season high on NFL Draft boards but with something to prove as well after a disappointing two-game stretch to end last season.
Bo Jackson proved very early last season that he was the best running back on the Ohio State roster. He took over as the starter in September and was one of three true freshmen to top 1,000 rushing yards in 2025. The sophomore tailback is underrated pass-catcher out of the backfield and is just scratching the surface of the player he can be.
Jeremiah Smith would have been a top 10 pick two years after a sensational freshman season. For a school that has produced the likes of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Garrett Wilson, just to name a few in recent memory, Smith tops all of them in an Ohio State uniform.
The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Smith is a two-time first team All-American. He’s an alien at the position. The junior receiver has his eyes on winning the Biletnikoff Award, after USC’s Makai Lemon brought home the hardware last year, and helping the Buckeyes get back to the national championship.
Ohio State hired former NFL head coach Matt Patricia to be their defensive coordinator and the results was No. 1 defense in the country. They dove back into the NFL ranks again this offseason and hired former head coach Arthur Smith to be their offensive coordinator.
New-Look Defense at USC
USC made a big splash this offseason with the hiring of defensive coordinator Gary Patterson. The former longtime TCU head coach built great defenses for two decades in Fort Worth and a big reason why he’s headed to the College Football Hall of Fame.
He is looking to build similar success in Los Angeles. Except now, Patterson has more talent and resources than he’s ever had in front of him. The question is he can maximize it in year one and build a unit that creates problems for its opponents.
Rutgers receiver KJ Duff will challenge the Trojans secondary in week 3 with his 6-foot-6 and 225-pound frame. And then USC will see the entire offensive package when Oregon rolls into town the following week. Matchups against Washington and Penn State in early October will also test the Trojans new-look defense before they host Ohio State in late October.
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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Part of Glenwood Avenue is closed due to a water main break in Youngstown.
Saturday afternoon, water could be seen flowing down Glenwood Avenue near Ravenwood Avenue.
The road is closed between Ravenwood Avenue and Clearmount Drive while crews repair the break.
Dominic O’Brien contributed to this report.
The U.S. Bicentennial in 1976 was a monumental, year-long celebration marking the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Coming in the aftermath of the turbulent 1960s, the political disillusionment of the Watergate scandal and President Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974, and the capture of Saigon by the North Vietnamese and the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, the Bicentennial served as a crucial moment of national healing.
The festivities culminated on the Fourth of July 1976, with spectacular events staged across the country. The most enduring legacy of the celebration in Columbus is Bicentennial Park, located in the Downtown riverfront area along the Scioto River.
Dedicated on July 4, 1976, this 4.7-acre green space was built to permanently commemorate the nation’s 200th birthday. The park’s initial centerpiece was a massive fountain system featuring four circular pools that could shoot water 60 feet into the air.
From May 22 to June 2, 1975, Columbus served as the 11th official stop for the American Freedom Train. This massive, steam-powered rolling museum carried more than 500 priceless historical artifacts – including copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution – across all 48 contiguous states.
The train was displayed at the Defense Construction Supply Center [DCSC] in Whitehall and drew massive crowds of local families. Columbus held a special distinction during the tour: it was one of only three cities nationwide where the “Splendid Spirit” car was included with the train.
Warren Motts, the founding director of Motts Military Museum in Groveport, traveled with the train for its entire 25,000-mile journey, capturing the official photos that documented this historic event.
Beyond these massive metropolitan events, the true spirit of the Bicentennial thrived at the grassroots level. The American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA) encouraged local communities to form their own committees, leading to thousands of unique municipal projects.
Towns across the nation hosted local parades, commissioned historical murals, dedicated new parks, and sealed time capsules intended for the tricentennial in 2076.
It also triggered a resurgence of interest in local history and genealogy, as everyday citizens sought to trace their own roots back to the nation’s founding eras.
The civic energy and patriotism generated by the 1976 celebrations also helped pave the way for other major local traditions. Just a few years later, in 1981, Columbus launched its annual Red, White & Boom! celebration, which grew into the largest Independence Day fireworks display in the Midwest—a tradition deeply rooted in the community pride revived during the Bicentennial era.
Get involved in America 250 at your library this year! Visit columbulibrary.org for a full list of America 250 events.
Angela O’Neal is Local History & Genealogy Manager with the Columbus Metropolitan Library.
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