In a heart-stopping moment at the IndyCar Mid-Ohio 200, Josef Newgarden’s race came to a crashing halt on the very first lap, at the very first turn. The two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion saw his dreams shattered as his No. 2 Chevrolet skidded off track after a rear tire lock-up, colliding with Graham Rahal’s Honda before hitting the wall and landing in the gravel trap.
Newgarden, from Tennessee, expressed uncertainty about the cause of the incident, stating, “I either had just a massive rear lockup and spun, or I got touched. I don’t know.” Despite hoping for a quick return to the track, Newgarden lamented the missed opportunity to showcase the speed of his PPG car with support from Team Chevy.
The chaos didn’t stop there, as Rahal and others got caught up in the aftermath. Will Power found himself in a collision with teammates Scott McLaughlin and Devlin DeFrancesco, resulting in a broken wing for DeFrancesco and setbacks for the Penske team. Callum Ilott also suffered, being forced off-course while trying to avoid the unfolding drama.
For Newgarden and Team Penske, the Mid-Ohio race added to what can only be described as a turbulent season. Struggling to secure a single victory in 2025, the team entered the event with their highest-ranked driver in seventh place overall. Newgarden, in particular, found himself languishing in 17th place in the standings, with three Did Not Finish (DNF) outcomes in the four races leading up to Mid-Ohio.
The race weekend had already been challenging for Newgarden and his teammates, with all of them qualifying 18th or lower. The high hopes for a strong performance were dashed right from the start, leaving Newgarden with no choice but to look ahead and focus on the next race.
The IndyCar Mid-Ohio 200 proved to be a rollercoaster of emotions for Newgarden and Team Penske, underscoring the unpredictability and unforgiving nature of motorsport at the highest level.
