NTT IndyCar Series officials have confirmed that the late-race chaos during the restart at World Wide Technology Raceway, which led to a red flag, was not due to any misconduct by race leader Josef Newgarden.
With just 10 laps remaining, the field closely followed Newgarden, trying to predict when he would accelerate. The two-time champion strategically waited until the last moment in the restart zone to minimize overtaking opportunities. However, as Newgarden accelerated, a chain reaction occurred behind him, culminating in Alexander Rossi launching over the back of Will Power’s car.
The incident sparked suspicions that Newgarden may have caused the chaos by either accelerating too late or too inconsistently, prompting drivers behind to misjudge the situation. Power, visibly frustrated, even gave his teammate a gesture of discontent after exiting his wrecked car.
IndyCar officials reviewed Newgarden’s car data, which showed no deviation in speed from 80 MPH until his clean acceleration, coinciding almost perfectly with the waving of the green flag. The series determined that Newgarden’s actions were within the rules, clearing him of any blame.
Newgarden, reflecting on the incident, explained that he deliberately delayed his acceleration but did nothing to provoke the ensuing chaos. He acknowledged that while the timing was tight, his restart was consistent with others he’s executed in the past. He also hinted at the ongoing issue of jump-starts in the series, suggesting that drivers may have anticipated the green flag prematurely.
Newgarden went on to win the race, holding off his teammate Scott McLaughlin in the final laps. Despite the controversy, Newgarden stated he would discuss the incident with Power to ensure no hard feelings linger.
Photo from Newgarden Instagram
