History Shows Josef Newgarden Can Rebound in Second Half
INDYCAR
Josef Newgarden had plenty to say entering the 2024 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, following a week of national media obligations.
At this point last season, the Team Penske driver entered Detroit seventh in points, riding a wave of momentum from his second consecutive Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge victory. Both '500' wins came due to a thrilling, last-lap pass.
This year, Newgarden was quiet in Detroit, sticking to himself and not the usual outgoing, charismatic two-time series champion.
He entered last weekend 11th in points. Newgarden charged from 32nd in this year's '500' to inside the top 10 by halfway, but a mechanical failure ended his day on Lap 135, leaving him 22nd and ending his quest to become the first driver to win three consecutive Indianapolis 500s.
That's the story of his frustrating season.
The trouble isn't caused by a lack of speed. Newgarden has been plagued by bad luck, leaving him 12th in points after Detroit, 185 behind leader Alex Palou, and five behind 10th-place Marcus Armstrong.
Newgarden had a shot at a top-10 finish in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, but his seatbelts came off, forcing an unscheduled pit stop. He finished 27th.
An electrical malfunction before the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course dropped Newgarden from sixth in the starting lineup to take the green flag last. He rallied to finish 12th, leaving the question of what might have been.
Even in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding, Newgarden had a shot at a runner-up finish, but a fuel mishap occurred, not allowing his No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet to get full of Shell 100% Renewable Race Fuel. As a result, Newgarden had to coast the final few laps to get to the checkered. That allowed Palou to pull away, and his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon to pass Newgarden for second.
That third-place finish is Newgarden's lone top five all season.
Maybe a week off to reset and recharge is exactly what Newgarden needs to swing the pendulum of his season.
Following Detroit last year, Newgarden went on a run of five podium finishes over the final 11 races, including a victory at World Wide Technology Raceway, the site of the next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race June 15. Newgarden also had three podium finishes in the final five races.
Can he go on another run?
Newgarden has the tools and experience to flip the script on a rocky start. The upcoming stretch is tailor-made for a resurgence, especially on ovals, where he has few equals.
'He's the best oval racer in the series,' Ed Carpenter Racing driver Alexander Rossi said. 'He's the most aggressive.'
Five of the final nine races are contested on ovals, beginning with a return trip next Sunday night to the 1.25-mile track near St. Louis for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline, airing at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
Newgarden has at least one oval victory in each of the last nine years. He's won four of his last five tries at World Wide Technology Raceway. The outlier was 2023 when he finished 25th in a race in which he led 98 laps.
At the Iowa Speedway oval, Newgarden has tallied six victories in 16 starts. The series visits the short track for a July 12-13 doubleheader.
Newgarden won both NTT P1 Awards at the Milwaukee Mile last season and finished third in the 2024 season finale at Nashville Superspeedway. The series visits both for the final two races of the season, Aug. 24 and Aug. 31, respectively.
Newgarden isn't just strong on the remaining circle tracks.
Following next Sunday night's race, the series next goes to the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America on June 22. Newgarden finished runner-up on the Wisconsin road course last year to teammate Will Power and won in 2022.
The July 6 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio follows. Newgarden won in 2021. The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto takes place on July 20. Newgarden is a two-time winner on the Toronto streets.
Translation: Newgarden has arguably as much potential to win in bunches as anyone in the 27-car field.
'We can win any weekend,' Newgarden said.
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