Josef Newgarden “Spun and Won” the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 race at World Wide Technology Raceway….similar to what Danny Sullivan did in the 1985 Indianapolis 500. In that race Sullivan did a 360 spin and recovered to win the race.
“My spin was not as pretty at Danny’s [spin]” said Newgarden. “Actually my spin was very clumsy.”
Newgarden’s half-spin on lap 196 of 260 was in tight race traffic but fortunately for him, he did not hit any other cars or the wall. He was able to quickly recover.
“It was good fortune,” said Newgarden. “I made a mistake and got away with it.
The spin gave him confidence but it was just one factor in one of the most exciting INDYCAR races ever held at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race featured 676 on track passes, 254 passes for position, 21 passes for lead…the previous high was 13.
“This was a great race,” said Newgarden. “There were two [race] lanes working”
The INDYCAR safety patrol was able to sweep the track clean during the cautions allowing the race cars to pass closer to the wall in a second lane. The drivers post race also gave credit to the INDYCAR officials with setup rules that also added to the exciting passing action.
When the racing continued after Newgarden’s spin, there was still 60 laps remaining. Will Power, Newgarden’s Penske teammate led from laps 200-217. Power lead 117 laps total which was the most in the race. Then another Penske teammate and race polesitter, Scott McLaughlin took the lead at 218 until David Malukas and Will Power had contact that sent Malukas into the wall and out of the race.
During the caution for the Power & Malukas incident, race leader McLaughlin and Newgarden went to the pits but Newgarden’s team was able to change 4 tires and fill with gas in 5.1 seconds allowing him to beat McLaughlin out of the pits.
“Odds are we don’t win the race if the pit crew did not do what they did,” said Newgarden. “I am just lucky to have such a great team.”
Scott McLaughlin came in second place and rookie Linus Lundqvist came in third place.
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Bommarito Automotive Group 500 winners Scott McLaughlin (2nd), race winner Josef Newgarden, and Linus Lundqvist. Photo by Larry Vancil / stlracing.com
Final Results
The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 1.25-mile World Wide Technology Raceway, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):
1. (3) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 260, Running
2. (1) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 260, Running
3. (18) Linus Lundqvist, Honda, 260, Running
4. (16) Alex Palou, Honda, 260, Running
5. (25) Colton Herta, Honda, 260, Running
6. (11) Felix Rosenqvist, Honda, 259, Running
7. (20) Nolan Siegel, Chevrolet, 259, Running
8. (10) Marcus Armstrong, Honda, 259, Running
9. (24) Sting Ray Robb, Chevrolet, 259, Contact
10. (12) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 259, Running
11. (19) Scott Dixon, Honda, 258, Running
12. (17) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 258, Running
13. (9) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 258, Running
14. (15) Pietro Fittipaldi, Honda, 258, Running
15. (23) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 257, Running
16. (6) Romain Grosjean, Chevrolet, 257, Running
17. (21) Ed Carpenter, Chevrolet, 252, Running
18. (4) Will Power, Chevrolet, 250, Running
19. (13) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, 250, Contact
20. (26) Jack Harvey, Honda, 249, Contact
21. (2) David Malukas, Honda, 238, Contact
22. (5) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, 207, Contact
23. (14) Graham Rahal, Honda, 161, Mechanical
24. (7) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 151, Mechanical
25. (22) Kyffin Simpson, Honda, 84, Contact
26. (8) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 42, Mechanical
27. (27) Katherine Legge, Honda, 7, Contact
Race Statistics
Winner’s average speed: 136.870 mph
Time of Race: 02:22:28.2772
Margin of victory: 1.7260 seconds
Cautions: 6 for 49 laps
Lead changes: 21 among 11 drivers
Lap Leaders:
McLaughlin, Scott 1 – 15
Malukas, David 16 – 26
Power, Will 27 – 60
McLaughlin, Scott 61
Siegel, Nolan 62 – 66
Rossi, Alexander 67 – 68
Lundqvist, Linus 69
Rahal, Graham 70 – 74
Power, Will 75 – 118
McLaughlin, Scott 119 – 120
Rossi, Alexander 121 – 126
Ericsson, Marcus 127 – 138
Dixon, Scott 139 – 143
Siegel, Nolan 144 – 146
Ericsson, Marcus 147
Power, Will 148 – 168
McLaughlin, Scott 169 – 170
Robb, Sting Ray 171 – 178
McLaughlin, Scott 179 – 199
Power, Will 200 – 217
McLaughlin, Scott 218 – 243
Newgarden, Josef 244 – 260