Scott McLaughlin described “the Mother’s Day Express” as the best Mother’s Day present his employer could have offered.

Following Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Team Penske provided a flight back to its North Carolina base so all NTT INDYCAR SERIES team members could be home with their families on Mother’s Day.

McLaughlin was thrilled to be with his wife, Karly, as they celebrated her first Mother’s Day. Daughter Lucy was born in October. The return flight to Indianapolis is Monday.

“It’s a big day for Karly, so being back home to spend time with the girls is something I’m very grateful for,” McLaughlin said. “What the team did for everyone who wanted to be back to be with their wives or whatever is really nice.”

McLaughlin said he “pulled all the stops out” to make Karly’s first Mother’s Day special, but he admitted that it’s odd in the sense that it’s more Lucy’s day for her mother than his day for Karly. Still, he described it as “starting a family tradition, which is very cool.”

McLaughlin laughed at the thought of giving up the “tradition” he’s had in recent years since racing in the U.S. has him too far away from his mother, who lives in New Zealand. McLaughlin said they have plans to speak on the phone today, but as it’s Karly’s day, too, “I’m definitely not playing golf this year.”

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock is celebrating Mother’s Day today with no racing-related activities, and those celebrations come in different forms. Whether it is physically being with mothers or remembering them, the day is one that only officially comes around once a year.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou is celebrating for a second time in as many weeks as Mother’s Day in Spain, where his mother lives, was last weekend. Today, he is honoring his wife, Esther, who delivered their first child, Lucia, in December 2023.

“Definitely, yes,” the series points leader said with a big smile. “In general, we don’t go crazy (celebrating) – we only do that for like birthdays and Christmas – but it’s a special day, for sure.”

McLaughlin and Palou are two of the six fathers who raced in the Sonsio Grand Prix, and their wives are being celebrated today. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon and his wife, Emma, have three children, Graham Rahal and his wife, Courtney, have two.

All three of Team Penske’s drivers have wives being lifted up today. Will Power and his wife, Liz, have an 8-year-old son. Josef Newgarden and his wife, Ashley, welcomed their son in April 2022.

Among the additional drivers participating in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, which opens for practice Tuesday, the fathers are Helio Castroneves, Ed Carpenter, Takuma Sato, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Kyle Larson and, most recently joining the group, Marco Andretti.

Today is a day for celebrating not only their mothers but their wives, as well.

Happy Mother’s Day to all!