Apr 11

Apr 11 Josef Newgarden takes Indycar victory at Long Beach as Scott McLaughlin spins out

Josef Newgarden has taken his second consecutive victory of the 2022 Indycar season at Long Beach as Scott McLaughlin spun out of contention late in the race.

Newgarden held off Romain Grosjean who made a spirited challenge for the lead after a late safety car bunched up the pack, with Alex Palou completing the podium.

Polesitter Colton Herta had led 28 laps but was taken out of the race in a crash while running third on lap 56.

Palou had taken over the lead of the race before his final pit stop on lap 55, and Newgarden emerged in the top spot on track.

He took his final stop two laps later and used a very slight overcut to come out ahead of Palou into turn one.

Josef Newgarden celebrates in victory lane at Long Beach. *(Penske Entertainment)*

“This was a fight today,” said Newgarden.

“This was not an easy race to win."

"I was working my butt off with Grosjean at the end there on the used reds (Firestone alternate tires)."

Newgarden's victory means that Team Penske's unbeaten streak continues into race three, as Newgarden claims a personal record with his first ever victory at Long Beach.

"This Hitachi car was on it," he said.

"I’ve been trying to win a race here for 11 years, so I’m so happy to get it done.”

Grosjean, on the alternate strategy with soft tyres in the late stage of the race, took advantage of the safety car periods to minimise his tyre wear and give himself the best chance at the podium when racing resumed.

The F1 veteran was able to pass Palou for second but was unable to get past Newgarden before Takuma Sato collided with a tyre barrier on the penultimate lap and the race eded under caution.

Aussie veteran Will Power finished fourth in the #12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, continuing the team's other record of at least two top-four finishers in each race so far this season.

Newgarden now leads the Indycar standings on 118 points ahead of Scott McLaughlin on 113 points.

McLaughlin could only manage a fourteenth-place finish after spinning while trying to overtake Tatiana Calderon.

Newgarden wins $10,000 from PeopleReady to split with his selected charity and he is now just one step away from winning the million-dollar PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge.

The challenge awards one million dollars, to be split between driver and charity, to the first driver who secures one win on each of the three types of track in the 2022 Indycar season.

Newgarden has won in Texas and now Long Beach, an oval and street circuit respectively, meaning all he needs is a road course victory.

The 2022 Indycar season returns May 1 at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park, a road course.

2022 Indycar Grand Prix of Long Beach - Results