Newgarden saves his season with Indy 500 victory thanks to a final lap loss to a heartbroken O’Ward

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — As Roger Penske investigated the cheating incident that cost Josef Newgarden his season-opening IndyCar victory, Newgarden never worried about the security of his job with the Team Penske.

He had too much to worry about, Newgarden insisted, and helping his boss understand how Newgarden illegally used extra power boosts to win the opening race in March was a bigger priority.

Penske, for his part, said he supports the 33-year-old from Tennessee and is working on a contract extension for Newgarden beyond this eighth season with the organization.

One way to secure a new deal is to win the Indianapolis 500, which Newgarden did Sunday after a four-hour rain delay. His pass of Pato O’Ward two turns from the finish line gave Penske a record 20th Indy 500 victory and made Newgarden the first back-to-back winner since Helio Castroneves did it for Penske in 2001- 02.

As he reflected on his accomplishment – ​​he now has 30 career wins and is a two-time IndyCar season champion – Newgarden went so far as to say “I’m grateful for the experience” regarding the Penske cheating scandal . About six weeks after Newgarden’s victory in St. Petersburg, Florida, IndyCar discovered that all three Penske cars had installed an illegal version of push-to-pass software that allowed their drivers to use the then-power boost. that no one else on the ground had access to it. the advantage.

IndyCar stripped Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin of their first and third places and fined all three Penske drivers, even though Will Power never used the feature illegally. Penske then suspended four crew members, including team president Tim Cindric, IndyCar’s top strategist who organizes the Newgarden races.

“It was a very enlightening experience for me, more so because of the outside world. I know what I take away from it personally. I know what it showed me, and I’m grateful for it,” Newgarden said. “I think it’s an experience that either has to break you or harden you.

“We have moved forward. We have never worked together as much as this weekend and I found it difficult to do. This is the most united team I have ever seen. I’ve never had better than this month.

THE AGONY OF DEFEAT

As Newgarden repeated his victory celebration from last year by climbing through a hole in a fence to join fans in the stands, a devastated O’Ward sobbed inside his race car.

He was trying to become the first Mexican winner in 108 editions of “Racing’s Greatest Spectacle” and ultimately finished second in three years. In 2022, he was accused of not being aggressive enough to beat Marcus Ericsson, and last year he was too aggressive and destroyed while racing Ericsson for the win.

O’Ward finished sixth in his Indy 500 debut and fourth the following year. So five tries and five near-misses left him inconsolable as his Arrow McLaren Racing team tried to comfort the 25-year-old.

It was a strange scene for O’Ward, who certainly wears his emotions on his sleeve but is usually the most optimistic driver in the paddock. Next Monday, he announced on social media that he was feeling much better.

“I woke up today with a big smile, feeling very loved by you all,” he wrote alongside a carousel of photos showing his post-race dejection. “It wouldn’t change anything about my journey so far. I know it will be so special the day my name is written among the stars and I get to experience the magic everyone talks about.”

His face was tear-stained and his eyes puffy during the post-race press conference, but O’Ward was stoic. He said he didn’t need to watch a replay of the final round to see what he could have done differently to hold off Newgarden.

“I think in a way I’ve cracked a code and I know how to position myself to win this race. I know I can win this race, and I know I also know how to protect a good result when maybe victory is not in the cards for me,” he said.

He was praised by six-time series champion Scott Dixon, a former Indy 500 winner, as well as Newgarden. When IndyCar stripped Newgarden of his win at St. Pete, it went to O’Ward, the original runner-up, in his only victory in five races so far this season.

“He led me perfectly. I’m very grateful for him and the way he drove. He’s a champion. He is one of our best competitors in this area. He’s a really nice guy,” Newgarden said. “Every time I talk to Pato we have great conversations and I think we have a lot of respect for each other.

“I like the way he drives. He drove like a champion in this race and he is just as deserving of a winner in my opinion. He certainly could have won this race. It’s hard not to win. There’s nothing I can say to make it easier for him. When you don’t win, it hurts. I’ve left here 11 times before with a broken heart, so I know the feeling. Whether near or far, it is a broken heart. I can’t facilitate this.

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