Josef Newgarden is keen to address the tension with his Team Penske teammate Will Power following a chaotic late restart that resulted in Power crashing out of Saturday night’s NTT IndyCar Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway. The incident, which occurred with just 10 laps remaining, saw Newgarden launch for the green flag later than anticipated, triggering a chain reaction that culminated in Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi rear-ending Power’s car.
Power, visibly frustrated after the crash, indirectly blamed Newgarden during the race broadcast by stating that the fault lay with “whoever was leading.” Aware of Power’s anger, Newgarden expressed his understanding of his teammate’s emotions, acknowledging Power’s position as a championship contender and his disappointment in losing out after leading the majority of the race.
“I get that he’s upset,” Newgarden said during the post-race press conference. “He got wrecked out of the race. He’s a championship contender. When you get run into, especially after the night he had — he had a great night, a fast car, he drove super-well — he led two-thirds of this thing. Imagine how he feels. I get it.”
Newgarden admitted that he executed a late restart, a tactic he has used before, but denied any accusations of erratic driving, such as speeding up and slowing down. He pointed out that his speed remained consistent at 80mph just before the incident, as confirmed by race control data.
Reflecting on the situation, Newgarden suggested that a slight miscue might have occurred, with the green flag being shown a fraction of a second before he had fully accelerated. This could have led to drivers further back in the pack misjudging the timing, ultimately causing the pile-up.
Newgarden emphasized that causing a wreck was never his intention and expressed his readiness to discuss the incident directly with Power, hoping to clear the air as soon as possible. He remained firm that, despite the outcome, his restart procedure was within the rules and consistent with his past practices.
As tensions simmer, the incident underscores the high stakes and fine margins that define IndyCar racing, particularly in the heat of a championship battle.
Photo from Josef Newgarden Instagram
