<
div id=”article-content” data-v-6f01d178=”” data-v-4a280a68=””>
–>
Josef NewGardenhe used to serve as a face in some way IndycarAnd that is, thanks to his victories with the Nativeapolis 500 return players.
But in the last two seasons he was not a championship factor. He was quite a fight with three races that remained in 2023. And after the disqualification from the introductory race in 2024, he never reached more than the seventh in the ladder.
He won titles in 2017 and 2019 and won 17 races from 2020-2024. But Newgarden is still looking for that third title.
After racing last Sunday to third place in Grand Prix St. Petersburg, he should feel like he had hit the championship well. He is 15 points behind the winner of the race (and three -time champion) Alex Palou After one race.
The driver of the Penski team left St. Petersburg with a clean car and a good result. Not a bad race 1 of 17.
“Every year I appear in St. Pete and it is a solid result on the board,” Newgarten said. “I really mean that … you have to get the result on the board to start a year and you have to start thinking immediately about the championship.”
Some fuel problems have spoiled every chance to win. But Newgarden refused to go with his head down.
“Ultimately, we needed a good day just to get points on the board. It will be the most important thing for this weekend, so we achieved that,” Newgarten said. “I can’t be too dissatisfied.
“We must have had some mistakes in the race, only a couple of fuels. But the team still did a star job. It starts with a fast car, and we must have had that all weekend. … We can continue with it and feel confident, at least to challenge the victory in the future.”
Interview after the race: Josef Newgarten and Scott Dixon on the Sankt Petersburg performance
Last year, NewGarden went with a trophy from St. Petea, but then a disqualification verdict followed a few weeks later after she eventually realized that she had access to his suppression on re -movement (when teams were not allowed to have it).
Despite the holes with deep points, Newgarten said he did not give up the championship hopes until four races were left, and he was still seventh on the rankings – 151 points behind the leader in a series with 54 maximum that the driver could earn in the race.
“You don’t really release the championship until it really is mathematically ended,” Newgarten said. “I probably kept myself on it as long as Portland, which is late. It’s very, very late, but you just don’t know what’s going to happen.
“You always hope for a potential miracle. You want to create a miracle. So, the whole (last) season, I could feel things down. … I didn’t let it go until it was mathematically. And I think you have to carry that attitude in this sport.”
Newgarden also carries an attitude he has every season while trying to win his third career title.
“I wake up every day, trying to think of how better … How to be a warrior when I get into the car and give the best result for my team,” Newgarten said. “I want to do it as a team player too. And I want to invest it as a group effort.”
Bob Pockras covers Nascar and Indycar for Fox Sports. For decades, he spent covers the motto sports, including more than 30 Dayton 500s, with stands in ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scenes Magazine and News-Journal (Dayton Beach). Follow it on Twitter @Bobpockrass.
Get more from the NTT Indycar series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
