Team Penske NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race Recap
Track: Streets of Long Beach
Race: Grand Prix of Long Beach
Date: April 10, 2022
No. 2 Hitachi Dallara/Chevrolet – Josef Newgarden
Start: 2nd
Finish: 1st – 22nd career INDYCAR SERIES victory
Laps Led: 32
Point Standings: 1st (+8pts)
Race Rundown: Josef Newgarden scored his second consecutive NTT INDYCAR Series victory Sunday at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, his first in the prestigious event. It marked the first time since 2012 that Team Penske has won the season’s first three INDYCAR SERIES races. Newgarden and the No. 2 Hitachi Chevrolet started second and kept pace with early leader Colton Herta, eventually jumping him in the running order on the first round of pit stops. The battle would remain spirited over the 85-lap race, as Newgarden held off late charges from Alex Palou and Romain Grosjean to score the win. With the result Newgarden takes over the points lead by over teammate Scott McLaughlin.
Newgarden’s Thoughts: “This is definitely up there on the list (of greatest career wins). This was a fight today. This is not an easy race to win. I don’t know what it looked like from the outside, but I was working my butt off with Grosjean there at the end on the used reds. I was hoping he would fade a little bit, holding him off on that restart was super difficult. This Hitachi car was on it. I knew coming in to the race we had a great strategy and with Team Chevy we were going to be alright. With pit stops helping me get around Alex (Palou), I’m so proud of Team Penske. I have been to win a race here for 11 years so I’m so happy to finally get it done.”
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
