INDYCAR: NEWGARDEN CHARGES TO PHOENIX VICTORY
- Cavalieri Garage Magazine
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Josef Newgarden returns to victory at Phoenix in the NTT IndyCar Series, delivering a determined performance in the season’s first oval race. The American driver, who had already won in Arizona back in 2018, secured the 33rd win of his career, overtaking Kyle Kirkwood’s #27 car in the closing laps. The Team Penske driver also made a decisive move in the standings: thanks to Alex Palou’s retirement, he becomes the new championship leader.
The opening phase of the race was controlled by the Penske cars. David Malukas and Josef Newgarden set the pace in the early laps, leading the field in the desert of Avondale. After a brief caution triggered by a spin from Dennis Hauger (#19 Dale Coyne Racing), the two Chevrolet machines of Roger Penske’s squad continued to maintain a comfortable margin over the competition, with Alexander Rossi (#20 Ed Carpenter Racing) leading the chasers.
The first major turning point came shortly after the restart. A dramatic collision between Alex Palou (#10 Chip Ganassi Racing) and Rinus VeeKay (#76 Juncos Racing) suddenly changed the complexion of the race. The Spanish champion, charging through the field after a difficult qualifying session, closed the door too late on the front straight as the Dutch driver attempted a move. The contact was unavoidable and forced the #10 Honda into retirement. With that incident, Palou loses a championship lead he had held for more than twelve months.
The first round of pit stops reshuffled the order again. Malukas and Newgarden found themselves battling once more for the virtual lead, even making slight contact while exiting pit road. At that moment Christian Rasmussen (#21 Ed Carpenter Racing) entered the fight with authority. The young Danish driver showed impressive pace on the oval, managing to pressure and eventually pass the two Penske Chevrolets.
Rasmussen then tried to manage the race from the front, but with 107 laps remaining the third Safety Car of the day—caused by an issue for Louis Foster (#45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan) erased the advantage he had built. The Dane, along with several other contenders, chose to pit before the restart.
That strategy allowed Andretti’s drivers to gain positions. Kyle Kirkwood (#27) and Will Power (#26) found themselves defending the top spots, while behind them Scott Dixon (#9 Ganassi) and Rasmussen engaged in a fierce battle that even led to contact in the “dogleg” section, fortunately without consequences.
Despite older tires, Kirkwood and Power managed to hold off the challengers. Rasmussen remained the most serious threat, while the Penske cars seemed temporarily out of contention for the win, with Newgarden running only seventh behind even Pato O’Ward’s #5 McLaren.
After the final pit cycle, the race delivered another dramatic twist. Will Power emerged in the lead, but Rasmussen’s pressure grew increasingly aggressive, culminating in contact between the two during lap 208 of the scheduled 250. The Australian suffered a puncture on the left rear tire and was forced to slow, while the Dane continued despite a heavy brush with the wall.
At the next restart Rasmussen led the pack with Kirkwood, Malukas, Dixon, and Marcus Armstrong (#66 Meyer Shank Racing) ready to attack. But further back, the decisive comeback was taking shape: Pato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden had taken advantage of the caution to mount fresh tires, a strategic move that would prove crucial in the final laps.
The closing stages were spectacular. In the final ten laps Rasmussen and Kirkwood battled intensely, until the Dane hit the wall again, further damaging his Chevrolet. At that moment Newgarden seized the perfect opportunity to strike.
The Nashville native took the lead with five laps remaining and never relinquished it, crossing the finish line ahead of Kirkwood (#27), Malukas (#12), O’Ward (#5), and Armstrong (#66). Team Penske returns to victory in the NTT IndyCar Series in the year of the team’s 60th anniversary.
The ending was bitter for Rasmussen: after dominating much of the race, the Danish driver dropped to 14th place in the closing moments. Behind him Alexander Rossi (#20) finished sixth ahead of Scott Dixon (#9), Scott McLaughlin (#3 Penske), Graham Rahal (#15 RLL), and Kyffin Simpson (#8 Ganassi).
The season now moves on to a brand-new event: next week the IndyCar calendar will feature the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington, Texas.
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