Josef Newgarden surged late on to pull off a remarkable win at Phoenix Raceway, as defending IndyCar champion Alex Palou crashed out.
The Tennessee native was 10th on a late restart with fresh tyres on his #2 Team Penske, but charged through the field and took the lead with seven laps to go to take victory, the 33rd of his IndyCar Series career. In the end, he beat Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood by 1.7937s on the 1-mile tri-oval.
Polesitter David Malukas, Newgarden’s team-mate, was third to take the final spot on the podium as Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward finished fourth ahead of Meyer Shank Racing’s Marcus Armstrong.
But it was a nightmare race for St. Pete winner and defending IndyCar champion Palou as he crashed out of the race early on.
Graham Rahal propelled his #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing car around Palou for third after a restart on lap 10, and shortly after Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay attempted an outside pass on Palou going through the dogleg, but the two came together and it led to the reigning and four-time series champion going out of race in his 100th start in the series after just 22 laps.
Largely untroubled running continued until the second caution came out on lap 142 after Louis Foster hit the wall. Kirkwood cycled to the lead as Rasmussen pitted, along with Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon.
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, Will Power, Andretti Global
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
Kirkwood took the restart on tyres that were 25 laps older, along with team-mate Will Power, who were 1-2 on the lap 155 restart. The Andretti duo held firm for several laps until Rasmussen took the lead on lap 191. Following another cycle of pitstops, Power took the lead six laps later and was thrust into a fight with Rasmussen.
But on lap 206, Power and Rasmussen collided, as Power drifted high on the exit of Turn 2 to hit the left-front of Rasmussen’s ECR Chevrolet. The contact left Power with a flat tyre, and Rasmussen saying “something doesn’t feel right” over the radio as the caution came out once more.
Despite the concerns over damage, Rasmussen stayed out, ahead of O’Ward and Kirkwood.
O’Ward opted to pit, along with Newgarden, while Rasmussen led from Kirkwood at the restart on lap 218. O’Ward and Newgarden began to carve through the field from ninth and 10th and while O’Ward’s climb was stunted as he broke into the top five, Newgarden fought through and managed to get up to the top three with 10 laps remaining.
Kirkwood got around the battered race car of Rasmussen with eight laps to go, but then lost the lead a lap later to the surging Newgarden.
Despite an admirable fight, Rasmussen was unable to hold pace and fell down the running order to finish 14th, as Newgarden comfortably took his first win of the season, with Kirkwood and Malukas joining him on the podium.
IndyCar Phoenix – race results
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– The Autosport.com Team
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