Armstrong's string of bad engine luck continues in Portland

Marcus Armstrong has been unsuccessful in his attempts to avoid the cartoon anvil for nearly two months as his No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda has suffered three engine failures over the last four races.

The New Zealander was feeling bullish after racing to ninth place in early June at World Wide Technology Raceway and appeared to have his first IndyCar Series win in sight at the next race in Road America, but that’s when the spate of motor problems started to derail his season.

Armstrong left WWTR holding 10th in the championship, tied at 196 points with ninth-place Marcus Ericsson of Andretti Global. Thanks to subsequent finishes of 24th at Road America, 14th at Mid-Ohio, 24th again at Nashville Speedway where the second engine failure happened, and 25th on Sunday in Portland where the third motor malfunction occurred, he’s dropped to a distant 15th in the standings.

“I just feel bad for myself and for the team, really,” Armstrong said as he and the MSR team head straight to the Markham street race next weekend. “We’ve put in so much work you can’t believe it. We were having such a great weekend. But three engine failures in four races. It felt very similar to Road America where it felt like an overboost. We need to figure it out and come out strong in Canada.”

Departing teammate Felix Rosenqvist started first and finished second in the No. 60 Honda and sits sixth in the championship.