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Backs against the wall for Newgarden and Power at Indy 500
Reuters • May 24th, 2025 2:30 pm
Josef Newgarden is chasing an unprecedented third consecutive Indianapolis 500 title | Photo: AP
A lot has gone against Josef Newgarden as he pursues an unprecedented third straight Indianapolis 500 victory on Sunday, but there was finally some good news for him on Friday.
The Team Penske driver posted the top speed at 225.687 mph during Carb Day practice session, the last teams will have on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval before the 109th running of the 200-lap race.
That came just two days after the iconic racing team made wholesale changes to its leadership after IndyCar officials found the team had made modifications to two of its vehicles during an inspection prior to qualifying.
The sanctioning body moved the cars of Newgarden and Australian ace Will Power to the back of the 33-car starting field. The team was also fined $US100,000 ($NZ166,970) for each violation, and team founder Roger Penske dismissed the team's top three IndyCar executives as a result.
Will Power talks tactics with strategist Jonathan Diuguid ahead of the Indianapolis 500 | Photo: AP
Penske, whose principal company owns the speedway, issued a statement apologising to the team's fans and partners for the "organisational failures" that have taken place over the past two years. Penske has fielded racing teams for nearly 60 years, and his drivers have won a record 20 Indy 500s during that time.
Now, in addition to trying to become the first-ever three-peat winner, Newgarden also seeks to be the first to win the race after starting from the back row. Tom Sneva, a former Penske racer, came the closest. In 1980, he started last in the field and finished second.
"Good final run here," said Newgarden, who will start 32nd.
"Excited to check the car off again and work with the team. I'm really excited for Sunday."
Sunday's field includes eight former winners. Newgarden and Power are two, along with Marcus Ericsson (Row 3, ninth), Alexander Rossi (Row 4, 12th), Helio Castroneves (Row 8, 22nd) and Ryan Hunter-Reay (Row 9, 25th). Takuma Sato, another two-time winner, posted the second-fastest speed on Friday at 225.415 mph. Scott Dixon, the 2008 winner, was the only other driver to top 225 mph during Carb Day.
Dixon qualified fourth in Row 2, and Sato, who won in 2017 and 2020, is in the front row next to pole sitter Robert Shwartzman.
Shwartzman is the first rookie to take the pole since Teo Fabi in 1983. The Israeli driver for Prema Racing is also vying to become the first rookie to take the checkered flag since Rossi nine years ago.
