World Wide Technology Raceway (Madison, Ill.) — Josef Newgarden continued his mastery of the short ovals at a place that he has conquered many times.
Newgarden, still nursing an injured left foot from a crash two weeks ago in the Indianapolis 500, led the final 40 laps for his sixth career victory at the 1.25-mile asphalt oval commonly known as Gateway. It was the Team Penske driver’s fifth win in the last seven races at the track but it was far from a normal race, as this 260-lapper was suspended twice for rain.
“When you have the fastest car in the field, it’s easier to win the race, and that’s more times than not what I’ve got when we roll out,” Newgarden said in his winner’s news conference.
“I think that was the case today, too.”
Here are my takeaways:
1. Another Short Oval Win For Newgarden
(L-R) Marcus Ericsson, Josef Newgarden and Christian Rasmussen posed on the podium after Gateway. (Photo by Michael L. Levitt/Lumen via Getty Images)
The two-time INDYCAR champion won on the 1-mile Phoenix Raceway oval earlier this year and the win at Gateway kept him perfect on the short ovals this year. He won the final race of last season on the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway.
In his final pass for the lead, Newgarden got by Christian Rasmussen but he didn’t realize it was for the lead. He thought Rasmussen was a lap down.
“When [Rasmussen] got here as much as the [top-three] podium, I am like, ‘What are you doing right here? How did you get you had been a lap down? Like, what are you doing?’” Newgarden mentioned.
“I believe he received a bit of offended by that, however I am so glad that I re-passed him. I used to be like, ‘He is simply type of in the way in which.’”
2. Unusual Contact For Siegel & Palou
No. 6 Nolan Siegel’s day ended after making contact with Alex Palou. (Picture by Perry Nelson/Lumen through Getty Photos)
Nolan Siegel’s day ended after simply 53 laps when he had contact with Alex Palou. The contact shocked Siegel, who was a lap down.
“I used to be a bit of bit shocked,” Siegel informed me and different reporters. “We weren’t racing one another. I felt like I left quite a lot of room on the within. … Clearly, Alex just isn’t an fool. He is aware of what he is doing.
“He is an excellent race automotive driver. I don’t know, however I’m disillusioned that it occurred.”
Palou, who was not penalized for avoidable contact, additionally was a bit of shocked. “I do not know if I moved up or he’ll transfer down. … We had been like lapping him, and I used to be properly forward,” Palou defined. “I believe we hit on my rear tire, so I do not know if I simply moved up or he turned. It was clearly not on objective.”
3: Palou Out Of Fuel
Alex Palou’s pit technique did not work at Gateway. (Picture by Michael L. Levitt/Lumen through Getty Photos)
Palou tried to stretch his gas. After which, after one of many crimson flags for rain, he opted to attend till the pits had been open to pit as a substitute of coming in for emergency service (which might have price him an opportunity to win). He ran out of fuel getting into pit highway, and with the final stall, he crept slowly down pit highway as the remainder of the sector sped by. He misplaced two laps.
“It is not an excellent feeling,” Palou mentioned. “It was so shut. … It’s simply unhappy, however on the identical time, it is OK. It is a kind of that it is advisable danger it to attempt to get the win or attempt to get place up there. … It would not really feel good if you’re there and everyone was flying by.”
The sequence factors chief completed seventeenth and has a 49-point edge on Kyle Kirkwood midway by way of the season.
4. Podium Finishers Wanted Strong Runs
Marcus Ericsson completed second at Gateway after main 114 laps. (Picture by Michael L. Levitt/Lumen through Getty Photos)
Marcus Ericsson led 114 laps however settled for second, whereas Rasmussen ended up third. Each drivers noticed a possible win slip away however additionally they wanted these robust runs.
Ericsson is in a contract yr at Andretti International, whereas Rasmussen entered the race twenty fourth within the sequence standings out of 25 full-time drivers. Rasmussen and ECR introduced earlier within the week he had signed a contract extension.
“It is positively bittersweet after main that many laps, having an ideal automotive beneath me,” mentioned Ericsson in a post-race information convention. He misplaced the lead on a pit cycle when he pitted a lap sooner than Newgarden. “We drove all the way in which to the entrance.”
4 ½. What’s Subsequent
The INDYCAR Sequence, which has been on observe for 5 consecutive weekends, will likely be off subsequent week earlier than returning to motion June 19-21 at Highway America, probably the most iconic highway programs in the US.
The 4.014-mile course exams a driver’s talent degree in addition to the gear with a sequence of quick turns as elevation modifications. Alex Palou has gained three of the final 5 races on the observe.
