During the recent Synk 275 powered by Sukup race at Iowa Speedway, Josef Newgarden came close to victory but was ultimately denied the win by Pato O’Ward. Newgarden, driving the #2 Team Penske Chevrolet, led an unprecedented 232 laps out of 275, setting a new record for the most laps led in a single race at Iowa. This feat made him the only driver in IndyCar history to surpass such a high number of laps led at one track.
The 34-year-old driver has a strong history at Iowa Speedway, having won six times previously and nearly securing his seventh triumph. Despite his dominant race pace, Newgarden finished in second place behind Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, who broke through to claim victory. This result snapped Newgarden’s streak of DNFs and added another strong podium performance to his record, marking the 14th occasion where he led over 100 laps in a single race at this track.
Newgarden Reflects on Recent Collision at Bommarito Automotive Group 500
Josef Newgarden also faced challenges during the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway, where he was involved in a serious crash with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Louis Foster. The incident occurred when Foster spun after hitting the barrier and came to a stop on the track. Unable to avoid the stalled car, Newgarden’s #2 vehicle collided with Foster’s, causing Newgarden’s car to become airborne before crashing to a halt.
When asked by journalist Bob Pockrass about his condition following the crash, Newgarden responded briefly, saying, “Feel even better Bob(0.20 onwards)”. He later elaborated on the collision when questioned if he had spoken with Foster, explaining the situation as one of unfortunate timing and limited visibility.
“I didn’t, but you know it’s just bad timing. This is wrong place at the 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 exiting turn 4 and didn’t think, you know in the quick, like, you know, this is happening in, like, a couple seconds. Right? 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.”
“And so then, right when I was making that move off before, I could see that Louis was sort of there, and but it was still green, and then I didn’t see Louis until in 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 was just there wasn’t much else to do if I go, right. I was gonna go into Palou I don’t have enough time to recognize a big jump of speed on him. And then he had the advantage of seeing and before, I did, so yeah, it’s just bad timing, really bad time,” he added.
Current Standings and Implications for the Season
Despite the setbacks, Newgarden remains a competitive contender in the IndyCar standings. He currently holds 186 points, placing him 14th in the championship race. The frustration from missed opportunities and accidents highlights the high-pressure environment of the series and the narrow margins between winning and losing.
Newgarden’s performance at Iowa, despite falling short of victory, solidifies his legacy as a formidable driver with exceptional track control and speed. His record-breaking laps led demonstrate his capability to dominate races, though future contests will determine if he can convert such dominance into more wins. Meanwhile, Pato O’Ward’s victory at Iowa marks an important milestone in his career and shakes up the championship dynamics.
