Scott Dixon overcame an grid and in-race penalty to win a crash and strategy filled Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca. Teammate Alex Palou sealed his second career championship.

An early race penalty for contact dropped the Kiwi to the rear of the field on the race’s 13th lap. Much like Gateway, it set up a strategy filled charge to the front as a chain of eight yellow flags shuffled the race’s order.

Dixon’s champion-elect teammate Alex Palou dominated the 95-lap contest but lost the lead on Lap 59 when the yellow flew just as Pato O’Ward made his final stop of the day.

The slowdown removed Palou from the lead as he made his final stop under the yellow. With O’Ward right on the wedge of a window that but Dixon in the catbird’s seat if yellows allowed him to conserve fuel.

Dixon’s moment of opportunity came on Lap 76 when the race’s final yellow flag flew which forced race leader Romain Grosjean to pit lane along with second place Pato O’Ward as their strategy evaporated with the yellow.

That elevated Dixon to a lead that he would not relinquish to the checkered flag.

Scott McLaughlin recovered from being involved in two accidents to claim the runner up spot and his fourth podium of the season.

Palou topped off his championship racing season with his 10th podium of the year. The Spaniard a few multi car accidents in the race’s final third to rise from 15th to 3rd in order to make two Ganassi cars on the podium.

Will Power rallied from a drive-through penalty on Lap 42 to end up fourth at race’s end. Completing the top five was Callum Ilott who book ended his season after scoring a top five in the season opener at St. Peterburg.

Marcus Armstrong sealed top rookie honors after a spirited fight with Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Agustin Canapino. Armstrong was collected in the opening Lap yellow flag but fought his way to eighth at the finish.

He couldn’t rest easy as Canapino had a career run going after starting from 19th. The Argentine methodically climbed on pace to high as third but was caught out by the same yellow that removed Palou from contention and fell down the order.

His day turned worse as he damaged his front wing and dropped to 12th in the order.