Will Power secured his first win of the 2025 IndyCar season at Portland International Raceway, helping Team Penske break their season-long drought, and, in doing so, extended the Danica Patrick IndyCar No. 7 win streak that has now lasted over 17 years. The two-time series champion held off Christian Lundgaard, whose second-place finish meant that the No. 7 car’s elusive victory stretch continues, raising questions about the persistent inability of that car to return to the top step.
The No. 7 Car and Its Prolonged Winless Run
Danica Patrick made history on April 20, 2008, scoring her first and only IndyCar victory at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit. Since then, 6,324 days have passed, but the No. 7 car has not crossed the finish line first in IndyCar competition.
During the 17-plus seasons since that landmark win, the No. 7 machine has participated in 277 of 297 races but has not added another win to its record. While the car has been competitive, achieving 20 podium finishes—with six of those so far this year by Christian Lundgaard—none have translated into victory. Nine of those podiums were runner-up results, three credited to Lundgaard, underscoring both the frustration and competitiveness associated with the No. 7 entry.
Other Notable Drivers and Performances in the No. 7
Since Patrick’s win, several notable drivers have piloted the No. 7 car to podiums. Patrick and Sebastien Bourdais each achieved three podiums, while Mikhail Aleshin and Alexander Rossi added two apiece. James Jakes, Marcus Ericsson, Oliver Askew, and Felix Rosenqvist each secured a single podium finish behind the wheel of the No. 7 car.
Despite the near-misses, none of these drivers managed to return the car to the top step. The statistics highlight how the No. 7’s history is marked more by close calls than by new trophies.
Teammates Succeed While the Streak Stands
Adding to the peculiarity, the drivers paired with the No. 7 car’s entries have won 20 times over this same period. Pato O’Ward leads this list with nine wins—including two in the current season—followed by James Hinchcliffe with three. Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Simon Pagenaud each claimed two victories, and Mike Conway along with Marco Andretti contributed one win apiece.
These successes from No. 7 teammates only deepen the intrigue around the number’s ongoing drought, especially as those drivers achieved wins while their fellow stablemates in the No. 7 continued their search.
Lundgaard’s Campaign to Break the Streak
On Sunday, Christian Lundgaard came close once again, finishing second behind Will Power. Still searching for his first win since his triumph on the streets of Toronto in July 2023 while with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Lundgaard continues to showcase consistency but not yet victory, currently ranking as the highest-placed winless driver in the standings at fourth overall.
The continuation of this unusual saga has sparked speculation within the paddock and among fans about whether superstition, luck, or simple coincidence fuels the No. 7’s challenges. Suggestions have even been floated that Arrow McLaren might consider shifting Lundgaard to another car number to try and break the streak, perhaps switching to No. 6 in search of better fortune and the elusive win over rivals like Alex Palou.
The Enduring Significance of Danica Patrick’s 2008 Victory
As the 2025 season unfolds with more races ahead, the Danica Patrick IndyCar No. 7 win streak continues to be one of the sport’s longest and oddest talking points. While Will Power’s recent win keeps Team Penske in championship contention, the No. 7’s drought remains a symbol of both endurance and frustration, with each near-miss only intensifying the anticipation for that long-awaited victory.
