Reigning IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden has won the 2018 Pheonix Grand Prix after a late charge home from fourth in the last seven laps. Newgarden was part of a group of eight drivers on the lead lap that pitted for new tyres under caution on Lap 229 of 250.
Poleman and winner of the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Sebastien Bourdais received a penalty for for hitting crewmembers on his first pit stop. The drive-through penalty saw the Frenchman fall a lap down and he would go on to finish the race 13th.
Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi made the exact same mistake as Bourdais and also dropped off the lead lap after serving his drive-through penalty. However Rossi drove sensationally, making an astonishing 53 on-track passes in the race to finish on the podium.
Ed Jones hit the Turn 4 SAFER Barrier on Lap 229, triggering only the second caution period of the race after IndyCar Series rookie Pietro Fittipaldi crashed on his own on Lap 41.
Jones’ incident signalled a flurry of pit stops with eight cars pitting, including race-leader Newgarden, for fresh tyres. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team-mates Robert Wickens and James Hinchcliffe, as well as Rossi, stayed out to lead the field when racing resumed on Lap 243.
On the restart, Newgarden immediately made his way past Rossi and Hinchcliffe around the outside of Turns 1 and 2 before setting his sights on race leader Wickens. Newgarden made his move on the Canadian just four laps later, once again sweeping around to the outside through Turn 1 before taking the win by 2.9secs.
“The team did such a good job,” Newgarden said. “The car was good, the strategy was better, the pit stops were the best. I’m really proud of them and what they did. I think they deserved the win tonight.
“I think we were a top-five car tonight, for sure, but I struggled a little bit with the balance, so it was difficult for me to force the issue until we got to the end when I had a tire advantage.
“I knew I could force the issue. I kind of bided my time for that. I was trying to be calm tonight and make it to the finish.”
Wickens held on to finish second in only his second IndyCar event with Alexander Rossi completing the podium. Hinchcliffe on older tyres fell to sixth behind Scott Dixon and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Newgarden’s eighth career victory moves him into the championship lead after the opening two races. The Tennessee driver now has 77 points, five clear of Rossi and seven ahead of Sebastien Bourdais.
Newgarden’s win was also the 198th for Team Penske, the most of any team in Indy car history, as well as the 500th for Bridgestone Americas since its return to IndyCar racing in 1995 with its Firestone and Bridgestone brands.
The next race of the 2018 IndyCar Series is the Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 15. Fans can watch the race live on NBCSN from 4 p.m. ET.
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