Josef Newgarden performed exceptionally at World Wide Technology Raceway, securing his fifth victory at the venue. Newgarden's win wasn't without its challenges as he successfully defended against teammate Scott McLaughlin during two critical restarts. The strategic play from Newgarden saw him taking the lead with a late pit stop, marking his fourth win at this circuit in the past five years.
However, Newgarden’s race was not without drama. On Lap 196, he nearly spun out but managed to keep his car off the wall and on track. Reflecting on his dominant performance at this venue, it’s clear that World Wide Technology Raceway has been a stronghold for him, despite last year's unfortunate crash that ended his winning streak with 49 laps remaining.
Team Penske’s Strong Performance
Team Penske had a stellar day with their No. 2 cars sweeping the venue, as earlier this year Austin Cindric claimed victory in the NASCAR Cup race. However, the atmosphere was different this time as the smaller crowds in the grandstands were noticeable compared to the NASCAR event.
Will Power, although leading the most laps, had a tough race. An incident during a restart with nine laps to go saw Power colliding with Alexander Rossi. This clash pushed Power down to an 18th place finish, affecting his position in the points standings as he fell to fourth place. "I don't know why -- I do not know why -- he would just keep backing up and going, not going," Power later commented, expressing his frustration over the incident.
Race Ends Under Caution
The race concluded under caution due to a last-lap wreck. Newgarden seized the lead for the first time following David Malukas's crash with 18 laps remaining, which prompted a caution period. Marcus Ericsson also experienced a brief moment in the lead for 13 laps, but his race ended prematurely following extra time in the pits on Lap 149 due to an unexpected slowdown. Reflecting on his race, Ericsson noted, "It just doesn't want to go our way," adding, "We had the car and the speed to win that thing."
Challenges for O’Ward and Dixon
Pato O’Ward faced his own difficulties, retiring just 42 laps into the race due to engine trouble. O’Ward had been a consistent performer here, finishing runner-up in four of the last five races at this venue. Despite the setbacks, he remains optimistic: "It's been a year of ups and downs, and I think at this point we just want to be winning races. There's four to go, so there's plenty of points on the table."
Defending series champion Álex Palou managed to extend his points lead amidst the chaos of the race. Meanwhile, Scott Dixon found himself two laps down following Newgarden's near spin and ended up finishing out of sequence with the leaders.
Early Exits and Mishaps
Other notable incidents included both Juncos Hollinger Racing cars crashing on Lap 17 and Conor Daly spinning on the backstretch during his first race substituting for Augustin Canapino in the No. 78 car. These mishaps further contributed to the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the race.
The next and final road course race is set for Sunday, Aug. 25, in Portland, Oregon, where Palou secured his second series championship last year. With several drivers looking to make their mark and Palou aiming to maintain his lead, the upcoming race promises to be an exciting chapter in this season's championship battle.