With the most NTT INDYCAR SERIES starters (28) in the 18 race history at the Iowa Speedway, mix that with just one lone caution in 250 laps of action on Saturday and you’re bound to get a lot of race traffic.

1,502 passes on track ensued. That’s also a race record. However, some passes were more difficult than others which led to some angry podium finishers.

“Usually it’s quite okay,” said third place finisher, Pato O’Ward. “You know who you’re racing. Sometimes you get to some guys, and they’re just not very gentleman-like, I guess, when you’re falling behind.

“Yeah, I had some moments in there where it wasn’t all turning left for sure.”

Race leader Josef Newgarden had a rough time in the end getting through traffic as his lead was cut from 4 seconds to 1 in the end.

“There’s a lot of people. There’s a lot of people. It’s one thing if you’re leading the race. If you’re leading the race, you’re really within your right,” he said. “If you’re fighting with people around you, seventh, eighth, ninth place, you’re all fighting. You’re within your right to fight as hard as possible.

“I think, the way the rule was written, it’s also legal for them to fight to the death to stay on the lead lap in front of the leader. It is legal. I’m just telling you you’re not making any friends when you do it. There’s 20 laps to go in the race, and I was getting driven like it was literally to the death for the end of the Indy 500. It was just crazy. I couldn’t believe the way people were mirror driving.

“I’ve never seen it that bad here. Normally if you’re the leader, you’re not getting a handout, but you’re at least getting the courtesy that you are the leader and you’re about to get lapped. You don’t have to pull over, but just don’t be aggressive and weave in front of the leader, block the leader, chop the leader.

“Like there’s just a point where you’ve got to understand that that comes back around. If you do that to someone, I’m going to fence you the next time I see you. If you’re the leader the next time, I am going to do you so dirty if you did that to me.

“Its common sense. Everybody in the paddock knows it, and they’re just — for whatever reason, there’s just people who just can’t get it. You know what, if they can’t learn it by now, they’ll probably never learn. I guess where I’m going with this, you can tell I’m frustrated by it, which a lot of people are. I can’t change people’s behavior. If they’re going to continue to do that, I have to study and figure out how to counteract it because that’s how they’re going to play.

“I’m going to assume they’re going to play like that tomorrow, and I’ve got to be in a better position and better equipped handle it.”

Newgarden was told McLaughlin was going to have some conversations. He said he was too

“I’ll go talk to some people too,” he said. “They need to know. Look, it’s not cool. It’s not cool. If you want to play that game, that’s fine, but you should be thinking long term.”