News

Grand Prix of Long Beach
Long Beach, CA - April 19, 2026

JOSEF NEWGARDEN No. 2 ASTEMO CHEVROLET

START: 14TH 
FINISH: 14TH 
POINTS: 6TH (-75)

RACE RUNDOWN: Josef Newgarden and the No. 2 Astemo Chevrolet team was the early buzz in Sunday's Grand Prix of Long Beach as they worked to make one of the few three pit stop strategies pay off. Unfortunately, two issues left them with a 14th-place finish in one of the iconic events for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Newgarden just missed out on the second round of qualifying on Saturday afternoon, ultimately starting the race from the 14th position. He and race strategist Jonathan Diuguid stuck to their pre-race plan as Newgarden hit pit lane for the first time on Lap 12 for a second application of the Firestone alternate tire. After returning to the circuit with no cars in front of him, Newgarden treated the fans to laps consistently timed as the fastest on the track as the looked to cut down the difference between he and the leaders before the next round of stops. The 2022 Long Beach winner eventually took the race lead after all cars had pitted for service before making his second stop of the day on Lap 38. Just four laps later, Newgarden made a strong move to the inside of Marcus Armstrong but had moderate lockup of the left front tire while making the pass, resulting in a flat spot that led to a severe vibration. He was able to make it to a caution period at Lap 58 when a pit stop issue dropped him back to 21st in the running order. Proving the speed in the Astemo Chevy, Newgarden was able to pass seven more cars before the checkered flag to finish the day with the most on-track passes.

NEWGARDEN'S THOUGHTS: "Just tough day. It was going really well. Going really well. We were going to try and make a 'three-stop' work when pretty much the whole field wasn't. And, basically, first stint was incredible. The No. 2 Astemo Chevy  was on rails, but made a mistake, on the second stint - technically, our third stint when passing Armstrong in turn one lit up the inside of the left front. So, I tried but had a massive vibration. I thought the tire was gonna blow up. I can't believe it held. Then we were just trying to nurse the thing to the next pit stop. Got lucky with the yellow and was able to pit but had a bad plug. So, I'd already kind of ruined our day and then lost a little couple spots there. And we went back to 21st and then clawed our way back to fourteenth. So started fourteenth, finished fourteenth. And I think the good news is that the car was stupid quick. So really encouraged by that."

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN No. 3 AAA TRAVEL CHEVROLET

START: 8TH 
FINISH: 6TH  
POINTS: 7TH (-78)

RACE RUNDOWN: Scott McLaughlin and the No. 3 AAA Travel Chevrolet team finished sixth in Sunday's Grand Prix of Long Beach, scoring a solid finish to give the team momentum heading into the month of May. After qualifying in the eighth position on Saturday afternoon, McLaughlin held down that position throughout the first stint of the race while turning some of the fastest laps on track, just before making his first pit stop of the day on Lap 32. Race strategist Tim Cindric called for Firestone alternate tires and fuel on the stop, and McLaughlin cycled to the 10th position after the pit cycle was completed. Over the race's second stint, McLaughlin looked to take care of his rear tires over the rough street circuit, while also saving fuel to make the finish on one more pit stop. He would cycle to the seventh position following the final stop of the day on Lap 60, setting the team up for a strong, sixth-place finish.

MCLAUGHLIN'S THOUGHTS: "We just needed a solid finish today. With everything we have dealt with over the last three weeks, a top five finish was the goal. To finish just outside of that gives us some momentum heading into the month of May, for sure. The AAA Travel Chevy was very fast today, but we stuck to our two-stop strategy and were in fuel save for a while."

DAVID MALUKAS No. 12 VERIZON CHEVROLET

START: 5TH  
FINISH: 7TH  
POINTS: 3RD (-63)

RACE RUNDOWN: David Malukas and the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet team continued their strong form to start the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season by finishing seventh in Sunday's Grand Prix of Long Beach, moving up to third in the series standings in the process. The 24-year-old became the first driver to earn the opportunity to make the first selection for Firestone Fast Six qualifying position by posting the fastest time in the Round of 12 on Saturday afternoon. After choosing to go out first for the final round, Malukas slotted his Verizon Chevy into the fifth position on the starting line. Electing to deploy a two pit stop strategy that required fuel conservation, Malukas would still hold strong inside the top five throughout the 90-lap event before coming to pit road for the final time on Lap 60. An extended stop dropped him back to eighth when the race resumed as he followed in the tire tracks of teammate Scott McLaughlin as the two attempted to get back inside the top five. Despite narrowly missing that objective, the finish marks Malukas' fourth consecutive top six finish. 

MALUKAS' THOUGHTS: "That was going to be a fantastic day. We had a fantastic Verizon Chevy. Really good fuel saving. We were going to jump Kyle (Kirkwood) on this last pit stop and be on for a podium finish. It was going to be a great day, unfortunately on the last pit stop, we had a slight issue with the pit stop. We had a little mistake with the airjack. These things happen and we go forward. This team is incredible. Everybody here is working their butts off and giving 110%. We're working and trying to find something new every day and it's showing. We're having great momentum. P3 in the championship even with this mistake and P7 in the race. It's only up from here."

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will move to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) for the month of May activities at the iconic circuit, beginning with the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 9 on the IMS road course.