It was Newgarden’s fifth victory on the observe previously referred to as Gateway, and his second of the 2024 season.
“I believe the workforce wanted it,” mentioned Newgarden, a two-time Indianapolis 500 champion.
“They’ve executed an amazing job, on the No. 2 automobile, particularly, they’ve executed a extremely good job. They’ve given me race-winning automobiles all year long, even previous Indy they usually haven’t materialized. So, it’s good to get one other one on the board.”
Late-race restart chaos
He mirrored on a late restart with lower than 10 laps to go, by which a gradual launch by him led to automobiles stacking up and crashing, together with team-mate Will Energy, who was third, that led to a purple flag. Energy flipped him off within the aftermath of the crash.
“The worst half about that’s clearly the No. 12 (team-mate Will Energy) not making it residence,” Newgarden mentioned.
“I hate that that occurred on the very finish. I imply, I watched it on the TV, it seemed just like the inexperienced went out earlier than I went simply momentarily and it brought about a giant accordion. So, I hate that occurred. That is the very last thing you need with 10 to go is to create a multitude. I wasn’t making an attempt to try this, however this workforce did an incredible job. We’ve bought quick automobiles proper from the beginning. Simply actually proud to have the PPG automobile again in Victory Lane with Staff Chevy.”
A Tennessee native, Newgarden led 17 of 260 laps, ending 1.7260s forward of Staff Penske team-mate and pole-sitter Scott McLaughlin.
Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist claimed third after a late battle with Andretti International’s Colton Herta.
The Race
McLaughlin will get the early bounce over frontrow mate David Malukas, however Colton Herta is the early mover after choosing up six spots on the opening lap from twenty fifth to nineteenth.
Will Energy, who began third, made an inside go on the No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda of Malukas coming into Flip 1 on lap 2 to maneuver into second behind Staff Penske team-mate McLaughlin.
Malukas responded on lap 8 with an inside go by Energy off of Flip 4, with the warning popping out the next lap after Ed Carpenter and Katherine Legge got here collectively in Flip 2. Legge remained parked on the inside the nook, whereas Carpenter was in a position to proceed on. Legge was left as the primary retirement of the race.
A restart on lap 14 noticed McLaughlin as soon as once more make a clear getaway, however he misplaced the result in Malukas into Flip 3 the subsequent lap. McLaughlin fell to 3rd as Energy glided by.
The warning returned on lap 17 after Rinus VeeKay bought unfastened off of Flip 2 and stacked up a number of automobiles, which led to contact between the Juncos Hollinger Racing duo of Romain Grosjean and Conor Daly and despatched the latter right into a 360-degree spin with harm. Kyle Kirkwood additionally collected harm, left to pit for repairs over the subsequent a number of laps. He ultimately returned to the observe, 31 laps down.
Malukas led the sector on the lap 27 restart, however misplaced the result in Energy into Flip 3.
The mixture of an early begin and up to date warning elevated Herta as much as ninth by lap 34.
Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, working fifth, known as for a suspected engine concern over the radio on lap 41 and opted to pit the subsequent lap. He shut the engine off because the crew seemed over the No. 5 Chevrolet earlier than pushing it behind the wall.
The No. 28 Andretti International Honda of Marcus Ericsson progressed to fifth after O’Ward’s concern.
Energy in management early
By lap 50, Energy constructed up a lead of 0.757s over Malukas, whereas McLaughlin continued to carry third at 2s again.
Pit stops started on lap 60 as championship chief Alex Palou pitted from tenth, together with Herta and the Meyer Shank Racing pairing of Malukas and Felix Rosenqvist. Energy and Josef Newgarden pitted the subsequent lap, with McLaughlin stopping for service on lap 63.
The pit cycle propelled Arrow McLaren rookie Nolan Siegel to the lead briefly earlier than pitting and making strategy to team-mate Alexander Rossi. Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist additionally discovered the highest spot earlier than pitting and handing off to Graham Rahal.
Energy reassumed the lead as soon as Rahal pitted, with Malukas 0.684s behind on lap 80.
The warning got here out on lap 86 after Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Kyffin Simpson shunted in Flip 4.
Whereas the pits had been open, Ericsson pitted from fifth, together with defending winner Scott Dixon. Malukas, nonetheless working second, started reporting a clutch concern whereas working underneath warning.
Energy was in a position to get a clear restart on lap 97 after Malukas spun the tires popping out of Flip 4.
In a battle amongst those who pitted, Ericsson was in a position to get by Dixon with an out of doors go off of Flip 2 to maneuver into thirteenth, after which moved by Siegel to take twelfth. Ericsson continued his march up, breaking again into the highest 10 after passing AJ Foyt Racing’s Sting Ray Robb on lap 105.
The lead for Energy expanded to 1.4631 by lap 110 over McLaughlin, who took second as Malukas fell to 3rd.
The second spherical of pit stops started on lap 119, with Malukas peeling off for service, together with Herta. Energy pitted on lap 120, whereas McLaughlin pitted on lap 122. Rossi took over the lead, whereas Ericsson, who was anticipated to solely have to cease two extra occasions, elevated to 3rd after making manner once more for Robb, who took second.
Ericsson assumed the lead on lap 127 after Rossi and Robb pitted, with Dixon and Siegel vaulting to second and third, respectively.
Dixon then took the lead as Ericsson fell to 3rd within the method to lap 140. Ericsson light all the way down to fifth moments later in a determined try to hit his gasoline quantity. Lundqvist and Santino Ferrucci, who had been additionally on the identical pit technique as Dixon, Siegel and Ericsson, took over third and fourth.
Scott McLaughlin, Staff Penske Chevrolet leads at the beginning
Picture by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Pictures
Siegel took the lead from Dixon on lap 145. He, together with the remainder of the highest 4, pitted on lap 148, giving the result in Ericsson, who pitted the subsequent lap. Ericsson was held after his pit cease by a number of seconds. In the meantime, Siegel was handed a drive via penalty after locking the rear tires and dashing on pit street. Ferrucci was additionally warning with the identical penalty, whereas Ericsson returned after a difficulty.
The sphere reset with Energy holding a 1.276s lead over McLaughlin on lap 155. The run of pit stops for Malukas, Herta and others started as soon as extra at lap 169. Energy pitted the next lap, handing the result in McLaughlin, whereas Rossi rose to second. Rossi pitted on lap 171, together with McLaughlin. Robb discovered the lead in consequence on lap 172.
In the course of the shakeup of the pit cycle, McLaughlin was in a position to transfer forward – nonetheless second general behind Robb – of Newgarden, whereas Energy fell all the way down to fourth. Robb ultimately pitted on lap 181, shifting the Penske trio up 1-2-3.
Dixon’s hopes of creating it on yet another cease had been derailed after having to pit for a difficulty. The warning waived on lap 196 after Newgarden, urgent McLaughlin for the lead, spun off of Flip 2 and fell fourth.
McLaughlin pits on lap 200, together with Newgarden. Energy assumed the lead after opting to remain out.
The brand new working order put Energy within the lead, adopted by Malukas, with McLaughlin and Newgarden third and fourth.
A heartbreaking finish for Malukas
Energy led the sector to the inexperienced flag on lap 207.
Malukas pitted from second on lap 218, with Energy in for service the next lap. McLaughlin inherited the lead, with Newgarden second and Rossi in third.
Palau, working sixth and at a lowered tempo to hit a giant gasoline quantity in an effort to not pit once more, fell a lap all the way down to McLaughlin on lap 225. McLaughlin lapped Herta with 27 laps to go, leaving three automobiles on the lead lap.
The warning got here out after a side-by-side battle with Malukas and Energy ended the previous crashing into Flip 2. Energy was working on the surface of Malukas and pinched him to the curb, spinning him into the surface wall.
The warning allowed McLaughlin and Newgarden to pit with 18 laps to go, with each additionally taking recent tires. Newgarden bought out forward of McLaughlin after a 5.1s pit cease. Newgarden ended up taking up the lead, with McLaughlin second and Herta third. Energy remained fourth.
A restart with 9 laps to go was waved off after a gradual run by Newgarden led to contact between Rossi caught the rear of Energy and briefly caught air. Grosjean additionally sustained contact within the crash. The incident led to a purple flag with eight laps to go. Energy, whereas climbing over the wall, supplied the center finger salute to Newgarden as he escorted the sector down pit lane.
After an intensive cleanup, the stoppage gave strategy to automobiles peeling off pit lane as soon as extra after which went inexperienced flag on lap 154.
Newgarden bought a clear begin this time, with a sizeable .0.6s hole over McLaughlin. Herta was underneath assault from Lundqvist for third and took the spot with 5 laps to go.
Newgarden coasted the remainder of the best way to the checkered flag, whereas McLaughlin got here throughout second, forward of Lundqvist in third. Herta and Palou rounded out the remainder of the highest 5.
