Josef Newgarden, the Team Penske driver, recently experienced a high-impact crash that has captured the attention of the IndyCar community, while his wife Ashley Newgarden unexpectedly found her children’s book in the spotlight within NASCAR circles. Ashley commented on a social media post by NASCAR driver Erik Jones, who shared a touching photo of himself reading a bedtime story to his son, David.
Jones, who drives the #43 Toyota, shared the moment of reading Good Night Racetrack, a book co-authored by Ashley Newgarden and Andy Amendola. The work, published earlier this year in February, introduces young readers to the Indianapolis 500 and the unique atmosphere surrounding the iconic racetrack.
This connection highlights the family side of Josef Newgarden’s life, often kept private. Ashley and Josef met in 2012, with few details available about their first encounter. Before their relationship, Ashley worked at Disney World as a Disney Princess. The couple married in Japan in 2018 and welcomed their son Kota in 2022. Recently, both Ashley and Kota showed support for Josef during the Indianapolis 500 event.
Josef Newgarden reflects on the sudden and severe crash at World Wide Technology Raceway
On June 15, at the World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR), Josef Newgarden was involved in a severe accident during the Bommarito Automotive Group 500. The incident occurred on lap 126 when Louis Foster lost control and made contact with the barrier, stopping his car on the track. Newgarden, unable to avoid Foster’s stationary vehicle, collided at high speed, causing his car to flip and become airborne before landing back on the racetrack.
Before a subsequent race at Road America, Newgarden spoke with IndyCar insider Bob Pockrass about the crash. He described the event as a matter of unfortunate timing, admitting that he did not see Foster’s car crossing the track until it was too late to react effectively. Newgarden explained that while attempting to pass fellow driver Alex Palou, he noticed Foster only moments before the collision but had insufficient time to maneuver safely.
“I didn’t, but you know it’s just bad timing. This is the wrong place, wrong time, so it happens. Yeah, I didn’t see him. I didn’t see him come across the track. You know, I saw Louis up against the wall, as I was excited for accidentally 4 and didn’t think, you know, in the quick, like you know this is happening in like a couple of seconds. Right? I wasn’t really focused on him. As I went through 3 and then kinda as we’re getting out of 4, I was trying to make a move on Palou. I was actually going to try and go underneath him.”
—Josef Newgarden
“And so then right when I was making that move off before, I could see that Louis was sort of there, but it was still green, and then I didn’t see Louis until Palou went right, and as soon as he went right, then I saw him coming across the track, and I thought. No, this is it, there wasn’t much else to do if I went, right? I was gonna go into Palou, but I don’t have enough time to recognize a big jump in speed on him. And then he had the advantage of seeing, and before I did so, yeah, it’s just bad timing, really bad timing,” he added.
—Josef Newgarden
Despite the crash, Newgarden had been having a solid season performance before the accident, currently sitting in 16th place in the drivers‘ championship with 213 points. The severity of the crash and his reflections underline the unpredictable dangers inherent in IndyCar racing.
Impact of the crash and family’s ongoing presence in motorsport
Josef Newgarden’s recent crash has sent ripples through the IndyCar series, leaving fans and fellow drivers anxious about his recovery and future races. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks professionals face on the track, where split-second timing can have dramatic consequences. Meanwhile, the unexpected crossover of Ashley Newgarden’s book into the NASCAR community offers a heartening glimpse of the family life behind the driver’s public persona.
With Ashley actively promoting the sport to younger audiences, especially through her co-authored children’s book, the Newgarden family continues to influence the racing world beyond the track. As Josef recovers and prepares for upcoming challenges, the strong support from his wife and son at the Indianapolis 500 shows the important role family plays in the high-pressure environment of professional racing.
