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Fox Sports
a day ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: Foyt Team Honors Memory of Dear Friend at Road America
INDYCAR A.J. Foyt Enterprises honors this weekend at Road America the legacy of longtime friend, supporter and team sponsor Marlyne Sexton (photo, left), who passed away June 11 at age 86. In her memory, the team debuted a special tribute livery on the No. 14 Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet driven by Santino Ferrucci during this weekend's XPEL Grand Prix at Road America Presented by AMR. Ferrucci was the 11th quickest among 27 drivers in Friday's opening practice session with a top lap of 1 minute, 45.7423 seconds. 'Man, just hanging out with Mrs. Sexton and A.J. in Indy is just always fun, just watching them,' Ferrucci said. 'They had some good banter back and forth. 'She's such a wonderful lady. She did wonders for the team. She made me feel like family when I first joined in 2023. I know she thought of Larry (Foyt) like a son, so heavy hearts with her passing, and very honored to be driving the special livery in her honor for this weekend.' Sexton, along with her husband, Joe, founded Sexton Properties, an Indianapolis-based real estate development company, in 1962. Their first Indiana project was located just minutes from Indianapolis Motor Speedway and marked the beginning of a friendship between the Sextons and A.J. Foyt, one of the development's first tenants. 'I met Marlyne's husband, Joe Sexton, years ago,' Foyt said. 'I was one of the first customers, and from then on, we were just great friends." Joe passed away in 2002, but Marlyne continued to lead the company and remained a powerful influence in real estate and motorsports. Sexton Properties began sponsoring AJ Foyt Racing during the 2015 Indianapolis 500 as an associate partner on an entry driven by Alex Tagliani. The partnership grew each season, culminating in a primary sponsorship role by 2022. "I am deeply saddened by the loss of Marlyne Sexton,' said Larry Foyt, team president of AJ Foyt Racing. 'It can't be overstated the positive effects she has had on not only our team but on me personally. Her strength and positive influence are a huge piece of our recent successes. I will forever be grateful for the life lessons she taught me and the confidence she instilled in all aspects of my life. 'Marlyne loved watching INDYCAR and cheering for AJ Foyt Racing. I will miss our talks about the races and the team, but her teachings and impact will be remembered for the rest of my life.' Kirkwood Riding Momentum Into Road America Kyle Kirkwood enters Road America aiming for a feat Andretti Global hasn't pulled off in over a decade. Kirkwood has three victories this season, with back-to-back wins in the last two races in the series, the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on June 1 and Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on June 15. He has a chance in Sunday's 55-lap race to become the first Andretti Global driver since Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2012 to win three races in a row. RHR pulled off a hat track that year at Milwaukee Mile, Iowa Speedway and the streets of Toronto. 'Momentum is a big thing in motorsports,' Kirkwood said. 'When you have that kind of momentum, things come to you a little bit easier.' Kirkwood is off to a great start Friday, quickest in the No. 27 Siemens Honda with a lap of 1:44.9881. Kirkwood has improved his finishing position at Road America all three years. He finished 20th as a rookie for AJ Foyt Racing in 2022, then ninth and fifth, respectively, for Andretti Global the last two years. The steady upward trend, paired with his current form, positions him as a legitimate threat to contend for the win Sunday. This is also the first time this season Kirkwood hasn't had a week off between wins. 'To do well, you've got to celebrate with the crew for a couple of hours, and then you're straight back to work to do it all over again,' he said. 'I've gone home after each win and been able to relax and wind down from it, but this week it's been like, 'OK, it's Road America, here we go again,' which isn't a bad thing. Just keep it rolling. It doesn't allow the ball to stop.' Herta Strives for Road America Victory Colton Herta has been one of the most consistent performers at Road America, but victory at the 4.014-mile Wisconsin road course continues to slip just out of reach. In eight starts, Herta has never finished worse than eighth and has qualified on the front row five times, including each of the last two years. He earned NTT P1 Award honors in 2019 as a rookie and in 2023. He's only started outside the top seven once – 11th in 2022. 'I've always been really strong here,' Herta said. But have still never won. I've had close ones. This is the place I've never really had a bad weekend.' Herta's best chances slipped away due to small but costly mistakes. In 2019, managing tire wear caught him off guard as he faded to eighth. In 2023, a pit stop one lap too early forced him to save fuel late, and he ultimately finished fifth. Andretti Global Drivers Stick With Pacers Andretti Global's NBA loyalty got complicated this week as Mark Walter, who is part of Andretti Global's TWG Global ownership group, made headlines this week for purchasing the Los Angeles Lakers. Walter, already a stakeholder in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Sparks and owner of the Professional Women's Hockey League, holds a significant presence in both racing and LA sports. However, Andretti Global is based in Indianapolis, and co-owner Dan Towriss' company Gainbridge, has naming rights to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Pacers. So, where do Andretti Global drivers Marcus Ericsson, Herta and Kirkwood's allegiances stand? Herta took a bipartisan approach. 'I'll have an Eastern Conference team in the Pacers and a Western Conference team in the Lakers to cheer for,' he said. Florida native Kirkwood was more loyal to his adopted home. 'I don't know anything about that situation,' Kirkwood said. 'I live in Indiana. I know all the Pacers players' names, at least. I watch them play, and I know their style. I'm a big, big fan of the Pacers. I scream at the TV.' Ericsson, like Kirkwood, remains loyal to the Pacers. Fatherhood Helps McLaughlin Through Rough Stretch Scott McLaughlin is navigating a challenging stretch of the season, with a string a setbacks that have dropped him from fifth in points entering the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge to eighth in the standings entering Sunday's 55-lap race at Road America. McLaughlin crashed on the pace lap and finished 30th in the '500' on May 25. A week later, he was penalized for avoidable contact after rear-ending Nolan Siegel's No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and finished 12th at Detroit. In last Sunday's race at World Wide Technology Raceway, McLaughlin qualified second, ran in the top five, but suffered a mechanical failure on Lap 216, ending 24th. McLaughlin likened this difficult period to his 2015 season in Australian V8 Supercars, though with a more grounded perspective this time around. Becoming a first-time father to daughter Lucy during the offseason has provided emotional balance and perspective. 'Obviously, her college fund has taken a hit, but I think at the same time she's so very refreshing,' McLaughlin said. 'Being a dad and having a life outside of the sport, not that I didn't have that before without Lucy. I mean, I always had (wife) Karly, and she's great at taking my mind of stuff. But the dad part of life is awesome, and I'm probably the most happy I've ever been off the track.' McLaughlin has yet to win at Road America in four starts, but his performance improved each year, climbing from 14th in 2021, seventh in 2022, eighth in 2023 and third after leading 18 laps last year. He was sixth quickest Friday with a time of 1:45.3191 in the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet. Franchitti, Buxton Shave Foster's Mustache for Charity NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie Louis Foster made a surprising and charitable style change ahead of the Road America race weekend by losing the mustache he had sported all season. Foster, an English driver for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, wore the mustache as a nod to three-time series champion Bobby Rahal, co-owner of the team. In May, he joked that his look was very 1986 Indy 500 Bobby Rahal, embracing the retro vibe and team pride. At Thursday night's Welcome Party at Siebkens Stop-Inn Tavern, a beloved Elkhart Lake establishment, Foster joined other drivers as a celebrity bartender, raising funds for Racing For Kids through tips and donations. When asked what it would take to shave the mustache, Foster half-jokingly said $1,000. Dario Franchitti, a four-time INDYCAR SERIES champion, offered $500 if he could shave it off himself. Others, including FOX Sports play-by-play announcer Will Buxton, chipped in, and the mustache was officially shaved for charity. Foster was eighth quickest in the No. 45 Droplight/Desunda Tequila Honda in Friday's practice. Cannon Helps VeeKay Score WWTR Top 10 Finish Rinus VeeKay has found a new groove in recent races and credits veteran engineer Michael Cannon for the turnaround. Cannon rejoined Dale Coyne Racing after this year's Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and brings decades of technical expertise and a proven track record of rapid impact. In their first race together at Detroit, Cannon's input, especially on braking, helped VeeKay qualify seventh. The next race at WWTR, the No. 18 askROI Honda cracked the top 10 and finished seventh thanks to fuel-saving strategy devised by Cannon. Cannon spent six years (2014-19) at DCR, engineering a range of drivers. He also has served as an engineer in recent seasons for Chip Ganassi Racing and AJ Foyt Racing, delivering immediate improvements to those teams, especially on ovals. 'Working with (Scott) Dixon in the past, he gave me some tricks to improve the fuel mileage,' VeeKay said. Odds and Ends Championship leader Alex Palou has new colors on track this weekend with SOLO Cup sponsoring his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. He was ninth quickest in the opening practice session. Team Penske swept the podium in last year's race and had all three drivers in the top six during Friday's practice session, led by defending race winner Will Power (1:45.1795) in third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Two-time Road America winner Josef Newgarden (1:45.2228) in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet was fourth, .0433 of a second behind Power, with McLaughlin sixth. The top 15 drivers in Friday's speed chart were separated by less than a second. Saturday features NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice at 11:05 a.m. ET and then qualifying to set the 27-car lineup for Sunday's race at 2:35 p.m. ET. Both air on FS1, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. 2012 INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Ryan Hunter-Reay served as a booth analyst for FOX's INDY NXT by Firestone practice coverage Friday. recommended
Fox Sports
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Gearing Up: Tightening Title Race To Heat Up at Road America
INDYCAR With back-to-back NTT INDYCAR SERIES victories, Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood has sliced his points deficit to championship leader Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing in half. Still, Kirkwood still has considerable work to do to earn his first series title as the season reaches its halfway point this weekend at Road America. Kirkwood, who won Sunday night's Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World Wide Technology Raceway, still trails Palou by 75 points, and Palou has some of his favorite tracks lined up. Palou has won two races at the Wisconsin track that hosts Sunday's XPEL Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR, and he is a former pole and race winner at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the site of the ensuing race Sunday, July 6. SEE: Road America Event Details Kirkwood has neither won at Road America nor Mid-Ohio, although he is riding a wave of momentum after winning both of this month's races: the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear and the race at WWTR. Sunday's win was his first on an oval after four street circuit wins. 'It does,' Kirkwood said of a 75-point deficit feeling at least somewhat manageable. 'It's double digits again. Triple digits are never a good sign in a championship. Moving closer. It's still a long ways to go. '(Palou) is good at a lot of races that we're coming up to, so those are the ones that are going to really count. (WWTR) has been a track that we haven't been amazing at, so it's great to claw back some points. But everybody knows we're going to go to Road America and he's going to put on a show there, and we'll have to do everything in our power to keep him from looking shiny once again on road courses.' Kirkwood would be in a better points position if not for being penalized for his car being outside the equipment rules in last month's Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Rather than finishing sixth and netting 28 points, Kirkwood landed 32nd and received just five points. The Floridian could be within 52 points of the lead, which is still a race's worth of points, but the deficit would be less. For Palou, who is seeking his third consecutive season championship and fourth in five years, the next two races represent an opportunity to regain his footing. He got knocked into the tire barrier in Detroit and finished 25th. At WWTR, he nearly got lapped at the halfway point before scrambling up to finish eighth. Still, after winning five of the season's first six races, this could be considered a drought. Last year at Road America, Palou and Kirkwood finished fourth and fifth, respectively, each leading three laps. But neither was a match for Team Penske's three drivers, which earned the team's first podium sweep in seven years. Will Power beat Josef Newgarden to the finish line by 3.2609 seconds with Scott McLaughlin third. The trio combined to lead 27 of the 55 laps. Team Penske is coming off a damaging race at WWTR. Power and Newgarden were involved in accidents; McLaughlin had equipment failure. They finished 24th, 25th and 27th in the 27-car field and remain winless as a group this season. Palou (five wins) and Kirkwood (three) remain the only race winners this season, helping Honda win the first eight races of the season. It has been 45 years since a pair of drivers had a comparable start to the season. It would be foolish to sleep on Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward, who at WWTR scored his series-leading third runner-up finish of the season. He has series wins at three of the remaining eight venues on the schedule. He is second in the standings, 73 points behind Palou and two points in front of Kirkwood. Palou still controls the race to the Astor Challenge Cup, but Kirkwood and O'Ward have made it interesting with strong results this month. If they finish 1-2 at Road America, as they did at WWTR, this could turn into a dogfight. recommended
Fox Sports
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: David Malukas Trying To Continue Foyt Resurgence
INDYCAR David Malukas has never won an NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at World Wide Technology Raceway – he hasn't won a series race at any track, for that matter – but his rivals have known he was there in all three previous starts at this oval track. Malukas finished second as a rookie in 2022, came home third in 2023 and was challenging for that elusive first series victory late in last year's race when he got squeezed in Turn 2 by Will Power. The contact sent Malukas' car spinning into the outside wall. If there's a driver other than five-time winner Josef Newgarden to keep tabs on in Sunday's Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline, it's Malukas. After a slow start to the season, Malukas and his AJ Foyt Racing crew are on a roll. They finished second in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, then qualified second in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. Malukas earned the fourth starting position for this race in the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet. He again expects to race well. 'There was a lot of talk in the beginning of the season of what's going on, why we (weren't stronger),' the 24-year-old driver said. 'But we had a lot of changes with the team and new teammates coming in. I was brand new to the team, and a lot of new guys came onto the team. So, it takes time for these things to jell and start connecting and moving forward with the setup that we needed. 'I said from the start of the season – to the team and to everybody -- we were waiting for that Month of May, when we're with the guys every single day. We wake up, it's racing. You go to bed, it's racing. It's racing non-stop, and I think it showed.' Malukas has excelled at this 1.25-mile oval almost since the moment he laid eyes on it. As an INDY NXT by Firestone rookie in 2019, he finished third, then returned the next year and swept the doubleheader, the opener from the pole. As a rookie in this series, he found himself dueling to the finish with Newgarden and fellow Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin. It was so much fun that the crew heard him singing on the team's radio during a caution period. Imagine if he wins this time. 'I do think that the recent success … is giving us confidence, and I think the second half of the season is going to be a really good turnaround for AJ Foyt Racing,' he said. Dixon Honored for Record-Breaking Start There isn't much time for personal fanfare when a victory in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is on the line, so Scott Dixon didn't bask in the glory of a record-breaking start May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In that race, Dixon became the all-time leader in career starts, his 408th to break a tie with Mario Andretti, who had held the record since 1992. On Saturday, the driver of the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda was honored for the accomplishment. He received the framed green flag signed from this year's '500' field. Dixon, a two-time race winner at this track (2020, 2023), also holds the record for most consecutive series starts. This will be No. 347. Tony Kanaan is the only other driver with more than 300 straight series starts. Kanaan's streak ended at 318. Dixon, who will make his 410th career start Sunday, and Andretti are the only drivers in history with at least 400 starts. Coincidentally, in this race Graham Rahal will become just the 11th driver with 300 career starts. This will be No. 310 for Will Power. Rahal is on the verge of having 36 more starts than his father, three-time series champion Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indy 500 winner. Rahal is second to Dixon among active drivers in consecutive starts. This will be his 247th, one shy of Marco Andretti's total that ranks third all-time. Power will start this race from the pole position in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Dixon will start 11th, Rahal will start 22nd in the No. 15 One Care Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Twenty-seven cars will take the green flag shortly after 8 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). Shwartzman, Leichtle Paired Again Indy pole winner Robert Shwartzman is making his short-oval debut this weekend, but he is doing so with an experienced engineer. Eric Leichtle, a former Newgarden engineer who helped rookie Shwartzman at Indy, is back with the No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet. Shwartzman said he encouraged Leichtle to return with, 'Please, I beg you, come help me.' Shwartzman will start 24th in this race, but he hopes to use experience gained in a recent test at the track. Since Indy, Shwartzman said the team has focused on improving its pit stops, which were a problem in the '500.' Odds and Ends Pato O'Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) might not have a race victory at World Wide Technology Raceway in six career starts, but he has been outstanding in all six starts except last year, when a mechanical issue relegated him to a 26th-place finish. Before that, he had five consecutive top-four finishes, four of them leading to a step on the podium as a top-three finisher. He has finished second three times. He will start third in this race. This hasn't been one of the better tracks for Alex Palou, who scored his first oval win last month in the '500.' Since joining Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2021 season, his average finish at World Wide Technology Raceway is 10.0. Last year was his best finish: fourth. On Saturday, he qualified the No. 10 Ridgeline Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in the ninth spot. Led by Newgarden's five wins, Team Penske has captured a record nine series victories at World Wide Technology Raceway. Power earned one of them in 2018. McLaughlin followed Newgarden to the checkered flag last year. The team is still on the hunt for its first victory of the season. Newgarden, Power and Dixon are the only active drivers to have won NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at World Wide Technology Raceway, which, after a 14-year break, has hosted races continuously since 2017. Newgarden's last eight series wins have come on ovals. His most recent win was 10 months ago at World Wide Technology Raceway. He will start this race from the fifth position in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet and has led 599 laps at WWTR since the sport's return eight years ago, by far the most by any driver. This isn't good news for Power, who notched his record-extending 71st pole. The reason: No pole winner has won a series race at World Wide Technology Raceway since the return in 2017. And leading the most laps doesn't guarantee anything. The driver totaling the most laps led has failed to win six of the past eight series races, including Power, who led 117 laps last year. Newgarden led only 17 laps – the last 17 – in last year's race. The engine manufacturer battle has decidedly been in Honda's favor this year. Its drivers have won all seven races (five by Palou, two by Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood) and eight in a row over the past two seasons. Things could change Sunday as Chevrolet earned the top five starting positions. The fastest Honda belonged to Marcus Armstrong in the No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian. AJ Foyt Racing has promoted Mike Armbrester to technical director to oversee the engineering department. Adam Kolesar will become the race engineer on Santino Ferrucci's No. 14 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet. Kolesar was the performance engineer on the car last year. Ferrucci has twice finished in the top 10 at this track, including a fourth-place finish in 2019 while driving for Dale Coyne Racing. With Malukas finishing second at Indy and Ferrucci second in Detroit, Foyt cars are trying to earn a top-three finish for the third consecutive race, something the team hasn't achieved since 1998 when Kenny Brack won races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Pikes Peak International Raceway and Atlanta Motor Speedway in succession. While Malukas will start fourth, Ferrucci will be in the 19th position. Hailie Deegan qualified 10th in the No. 38 HMD Motorsports car, the best performance of her rookie INDY NXT by Firestone season. Her previous best was 18th at the last event in Detroit. This is the first oval race of the season, and Deegan joined the INDYCAR development series this season after many years of oval racing in NASCAR and other stock car series. Iconic St. Louis radio personality Scott 'Riz' Rizzuto will be the grand marshal of Sunday's event.
Fox Sports
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Lures Bigger Crowds, Viewers, Engagement
INDYCAR The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear produced its best results since the event returned to downtown Detroit in 2023, establishing new highs in attendance, viewership and social media engagement. In its third consecutive year hosted on the city street circuit, the Grand Prix attracted approximately 156,000 people to downtown Detroit over the three-day weekend, representing a 4% increase in total attendance from both 2023 and 2024. With packed grandstands and fans filling the rooftop viewing decks and the garages surrounding the venue, the Grand Prix's overall ticket revenue also increased by approximately 10% in 2025. The thrilling action also attracted more television viewers. According to Nielsen ratings, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race broadcast from Detroit on Sunday, June 1 delivered an average audience of 1.061 million viewers across the FOX network and FOX streaming services, which represented a 75% increase from the 2024 race broadcast, which aired on the USA Network. It marked the third-highest rated NTT INDYCAR SERIES race this season, behind the Indianapolis 500 and the season opener in St. Petersburg. The Detroit race broadcast was viewed by more adults ages 18-34 than any other series race outside of the Indy 500 this year. Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global won the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, which featured 261 on-track passes and the 181 passes for position rank, the most on an INDYCAR street circuit since 2022 in Nashville. Dennis Hauger won the INDY NXT by Firestone race. Social media metrics for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear were also at an all-time high in 2025. The total social media reach for the Detroit Grand Prix reached 38 million over the course of race week (this includes not only Grand Prix social channels but all mentions of the event across all social platforms). With significant year-over-year increases in likes, plays, shares and reactions, the Detroit Grand Prix social channels (Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn) delivered a direct reach of 1,068,074, which represented an increase of 140.68% from 2024. INDYCAR online video views nearly eclipsed the 11 million mark during the Detroit Grand Prix, representing a 4.7% increase over last season's race weekend in the Motor City. INDYCAR also reported a strong weekend for engagement on the INDYCAR mobile app with impressive year-over-year gains in total users, a surge in app downloads and race day app usage up by nearly 62% from 2024. The Grand Prix also continued its community giveback efforts in a big way in 2025. The annual PwC Grand Prixmiere presented by Chevrolet, in its 11th year as the official fundraising event for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, produced record results for the event's identified charitable causes. Hosted Friday evening, May 30, the Grand Prixmiere raised nearly $1.8 million for five Detroit-area organizations. Through Grand Prixmiere donations, as well as some unique auction items and experiences, funds were raised to benefit the Belle Isle Conservancy, Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, Detroit Public Safety Foundation, Detroit 300 Conservancy and the Pope Francis Center in Detroit. Since 2014, the PwC Grand Prixmiere presented by Chevrolet has helped raise nearly $10 million for local charities. recommended
Fox Sports
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
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. recommended
