Kiwi Scott McLaughlin capped his debut IndyCar campaign by clinching Rookie of the Year, with an 11th-placed finish in the final race in California.
The reigning three-time Supercars champion is the first Team Penske driver to claim the award, edging out former Formula One driver Romain Grosjean and seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmy Johnson.
McLaughlin, 28, finished 13th in the overall standings, which included one podium - a second-place finish behind fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon in Texas.
"I'm really excited for next year," he says. "This year was a foundation year, all about building, and I feel like I've done that.
"Hopefully, I can be a little bit further up the pack next year - in every area. I just need to get better."
McLaughlin, who still hasn't confirmed if he will return to Australia for the Bathurst 1000 in December, had a trouble-free run, after starting 13th and running as high as third.
Spaniard Alex Palou won the championship, finishing fourth at Long Beach, behind race winner Colten Herta, Penske's Josef Newgarden and Dixon.
Competing in just his second IndyCar campaign, Palou is the first Chip Ganassi driver to beat teammate Dixon in the championship standings in a decade.
The Auckland native ended the season in fourth spot, with one race win.
