"We weren't the best": With clear-sightedness, Josef Newgarden leaves Phoenix a winner

Double champion IndyCar (2017 and 2019), Josef Newgarden secured his 33rd career victory this Saturday, his tenth in a row on an oval track. A true master of the sport, the Nashville native is bouncing back after a very difficult 2025 season, salvaged by his home win on Nashville's oval at the end of last season.

A simple glance at the statistics and results sheet might give the impression that Newgarden dominated the race, especially considering he started second on the grid. However, the reality is somewhat different. The American took advantage of a late-race safety car period to switch to a fresh set of tires and close the gap to the leaders, including a thrilling Christian Rasmussen (ECR) who had been driving brilliantly throughout the race but ultimately finished outside the top 10 after contact with Will Power (Andretti Global).

The winner's trophy didn't go to Newgarden's head, as he was aware that he hadn't had the best car in this race, but who was able to count on a formidable team: “At the end of the day, I think the team simply executed. They operated at an extremely high level. That’s what it takes to win these races. I’m not going to sit here and say we were the best today. I don’t think we were. We have work to do from here.”

Present in the top 5 for almost the entire race, Newgarden unleashed his fury at the end, much like he had done in 2014 at Iowa Speedway, climbing alongside Ryan Hunter-Reay, the eventual winner, to second place on fresh tires. A gamble that is therefore not new, and one that Newgarden fully embraces.

"If I have to bet, I want to be on the offensive. I'd rather be on the offensive and lose the race [than stay out on track with old tires]. We did that today. And it paid off in the end."

On the Phoenix track, where he was already the last winner in 2018, Josef Newgarden felt that the on-track action was more exciting than back then, when only one racing line was truly viable for the drivers. This time, with the complicity of the NASCAR who are also competing in an event this weekend, but also with test sessions done to add rubber to the outside line, the drivers seemed much more in control of their destiny.

“That second line really started to open up. People were exploring. […] It turned into a real spectacle. You could choose your battle at the end, decide what you wanted to do. It was fun to be a part of it.”

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