Newgarden wins once again in Phoenix to take the Championship lead
- Evan Roberts
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Written By Evan Roberts
The first of six ovals so far this season saw IndyCar return to Phoenix after an eight year absence. What a race it treated us to. Having won the last race back in 2018, Josef Newgarden went back-to-back - after an action packed race meant a late race charge on fresh tyres took the American to victory lane.
As it happened
Before the race even started there would be a driver to miss the start as Romain Grosjean found himself stuck in the pits and unable to start the race with an issue to his hybrid unit.
In only his second start for Team Penske, David Malukas lead the field to green for the first time in his IndyCar career.
His teammate Josef Newgarden did his best to challenge but Malukas had other thoughts and the inside line which allowed him to hold position
Unsurprisingly, Álex Palou was making moves from the off, going from tenth to fourth in the opening laps. Alongside him, series veterans Scott Dixon and Will Power were joining the party by making plenty of places themselves, utilising the high line.
Ten laps had passed before the first caution of the race came out, curtosy of Dale Coyne's Dennis Hauger spinning on the exit of the final corner. Somehow he managed to keep it out of the wall before giving Tow Mater a run for the world's best backwards driver by hurtling down the front straight at over 100mph. A perfectly executed J-turn saw the Norwegian back facing front and still in the race.
Once the green flag flew once again there would be a rush of drivers trying to take advantage. One of which being Rinus Veekay who in an attempt to get past Palou, made contact. Pitching the spaniard into the wall, taking Palou out of the race and leaving Veekay with damage to his Juncos Hollinger Racing machine. Palou's incident meant breaking his streak of leading the championship for 620 consecutive days.
Malukas would lead another restart, this time there would be no such drama. Always one to watch on a short oval, Christian Rasmussen advanced up the order with multiple moves around the outside to put himself firmly in the running - sitting comfortably in the Top Ten.
The first round of pit stops came later than envisioned as two cautions meant more fuel could be saved. This meant the first driver to make their way to pit road was Pato O'Ward on lap 67. He would be followed in the net five laps by the rest of the field.
Crucially, the undercut would be very powerful as O'Ward would cycle in front of the Team Penske drivers.
Newgarden would also take advantage, pitting a lap earlier than leader Malukas. It was not without challenge however as Malukas blended from the pits directly side by side with Newgarden, his colder tyres meant he would be hung out to dry by his more experienced teammate who swept around the outside.
The fastest driver on the track however was Rasmussen once again, swiftly dispatching both leading Penske drivers before rapidly closing the gap to O'Ward. A close moment was not enough to distract the Dane from effortlessly sweeping around the outside of the Arrow McLaren driver to take the lead.
Ten laps later O'Ward would agaiin be the first of the drivers on the primary strategy to pit. The undercut would once again mean he'd gain on his rivals by getting past Rasmussen. Only for a few laps though - as Rasmussen would once again fly past - taking advantage of a lapped car before clearing into the distance.
Over 100 laps later we would have our third caution of the race. This time it was Louis Foster who made contact to the wall with his rear right tyre after being caught pushing the high line.
It was all action on pit road as most of the grid took advantage of the caution, even those who had recently stopped. This was a major stroke of luck for those on the alternate strategy as those who stopped early found themself in sync with those on the primary strategy.
With the advantage of having made one less stop, they were catapulted right into the mix. Unsurprisingly the Iceman himself Dixon would be one of those who worked the strategy to the front, jumping Rasmussen in the pits.
The only drivers who did not make the call to pit was two Andretti's of Kyle Kirkwood and Power who would by effect, take the lead.
Despite his icredible speed and bravery showen throughout the race, Rasmussen would not make easy work of Dixon who made the Dane fight for the move. A bit of contact and some superb defence by Dixon meant it took nearly thirty laps for Rasmussen to get by.
He used that momentum to pass Power then Kirkwood in the laps which followed. Immediately after losing the lead Kirkwood jumped to pit road in an attempt to get that lead back.
The last thing he expected was seeing both Power and O'Ward ahead of him. Starting from the very back row of the field Power was legitimately leading. Up 23 positions and leading with only 50 laps to go.
Yet again, it was the hard charging Rasmussen who spoiled the party up at the front. Dancing his way this way and that behind the Australian, before a move around the outside saw Rasmussen in the wall and Power with a puncture.
Miraculously, having hit the wall side-on - the ECR kept rolling. Albeit with major vibrations. Interestingly, in the caution which followed many drivers within the Top Ten would pit for fresh tyres. A few of which included O'Ward and Newgarden.
As expected, those who stopped for new tyres were on the move at the restart. O'Ward being the leader of those scythed his way through the field.
Things got far more difficult as he approached those in the podium places. As O'Ward got stuck, Newgarden looked comfortable. The winner last time IndyCar was at Phoenix all the way back in 2018 was in prime position to repeat the feat.
Past Malukas, Past Rasmussen who made contact with the wall once again as he felt the effect of his incident with Power. Dropping outside of the Top Ten by the end of the race, putting a sour note on what was an incredible drive to that point.
With only five laps to go and one car to pass, Kirkwood could only watch on as Newgarden made the move down the inside to take the lead.
It was one he did not relinquish. After what was a difficult season last year, what a turnaround it has been. A win that means he takes the lead of the Driver's Championship.
Top Ten Results
Josef Newgarden
Kyle Kirkwood
David Malukas
Pato O'Ward
Marcus Armstrong
Alexander Rossi
Scott Dixon
Scott McLaughlin
Graham Rahal
Kyffin Simpson
