Team Penske had experienced one of IndyCar’s most controversial weeks in decades. Two of its drivers’ results in the season-opening race were disallowed after it was learned alterations were made to their cars’ computer systems, and another driver was docked 10 championship points.

With the dark cloud that hung over the team, they could have slumped into the shadows this weekend at the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix in Birmingham.

But they didn’t. They barged their way right back into the spotlight.

Pole sitter Scott McLaughlin led 58 of the 90 laps including the final one to go back-to-back at the Alabama track. Teammate Will Power finished second 1.3 seconds behind, and rookie Linus Lundqvist was third, the first podium finish for the 25-year-old Swedish driver.

McLaughlin got his season back on track with the victory. Prior to the race the penalty had relegated him to last place in the championship points. He moved up 20 spots and is now ninth.

While McLaughlin and Power were cruising to a dominant victory, with five laps to go, a car spun to bring out the caution, bunching the field back together. But the drama didn’t last long as they just pulled away again.

“I knew our pace,” McLaughlin said in the post-race television interview in victory lane. “I knew we could control it.”

This post will be updated.