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Bommarito Automotive Group 500
Madison, Illinois
August 17, 2024

JOSEF NEWGARDEN No. 2 PPG CHEVROLET

START: 3RD  
FINISH: 1ST  
POINTS: 8TH (-124)
 

RACE RUNDOWN: Josef Newgarden continued his mastery of World Wide Technology Raceway by winning his fifth race in nine starts on the St. Louis-area oval in Saturday night's Bommarito Automotive Group 500. The win is the 31st of Newgarden's NTT INDYCAR SERIES career, tying him with former Team Penske drivers Helio Castroneves and Paul Tracy, along with Dario Franchitti for 10th on the all-time list. Considered the best oval racer of his generation, Newgarden now owns 17 wins on those types of circuits. Newgarden started the race from the third position before he and teammates Will Power and Scott McLaughlin made it a Team Penske 1-2-3 at the front of the field for most of the 260-lap event. The two-time and reigning Indianapolis 500 Champion and an aficionado of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," Newgarden did his best impersonation of Danny Sullivan's famous "Spin and Win" from the 1985 Indy 500 when he spun the No. 2 PPG Chevrolet on Lap 196 while trying to pass McLaughlin for the race lead. With only eight cars remaining on the lead lap, Newgarden was able to bring his PPG Chevy to pit lane for fresh Firestone tires and fuel before restarting the race from the fourth position. When the penultimate caution flag of the day flew on Lap 240, Newgarden was back to the second position behind McLaughlin with the teammates the only drivers on the lead lap. An amazing, 5.1-second pit stop by the PPG crew allowed Newgarden to pass McLaughlin on pit lane to take over the race lead for the final time. Newgarden still had to survive one final caution period to keep McLaughlin at bay before taking his second checkered flag of the season. 

NEWGARDEN'S THOUGHTS: "The team needed this. They've done a great job on the No. 2 PPG Chevy specifically, they've done a really good job. They've given me race-winning cars throughout the year, even past Indy, but they haven't materialized. It's nice to get another one on the board.  The worst part about that is obviously the No. 12 car not making it home. I hate that happened at the very end. I watched it on the TV, and it kind of looked like the green came out before I went just momentarily. It caused an accordion. I hate that happened. That is the last thing you want to have happen with 10 to go is to create a mess. I wasn't trying to do that. But this team did an amazing job.  We've had fast cars right from the start. I'm just proud to have the PPG car back in Victory Lane with Team Chevy."

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN No. 3 DEX IMAGING CHEVROLET

START: 1ST  
FINISH: 2ND 
POINTS: 5TH (-71)
 

RACE RUNDOWN: Scott McLaughlin and the No. 3 DEX Imaging Chevrolet team continued their strong season on ovals with a second-place finish in Saturday night's Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway just outside St. Louis. On Friday afternoon, McLaughlin broke a tie with Alex Palou and Colton Herta for the most NTT P1 Awards in 2024 with his fourth pole position and his third on an oval that includes the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500. After relinquishing the lead to teammate Will Power, McLaughlin stayed inside the top three in the running order while working on his fuel strategy. A solid pit cycle around the team's third pit stop of the night vaulted McLaughlin back to the lead as the laps wound down. When Power brought his Chevy down pit lane on Lap 218 for his final pit stop of the night, McLaughlin and teammate Josef Newgarden remained on track as the only two drivers on the lead lap. A Lap 240 caution proved to be a benefit to McLaughlin as he and Newgarden were able to make their final pit stops under caution with no other competition on pit lane. Unfortunately, Newgarden was able to jump McLaughlin on the pit cycle to drop the New Zealander to second on the restart. Despite a subsequent caution period before the cars could get up to full song, McLaughlin was able to hold on to the second position at the checkered flag to move into the top five in points with four races remaining. 

MCLAUGHLIN'S THOUGHTS: 

"That was a one-on-one with the teams on the pit stops, and we lost track position.  On that last restart, my hybrid didn't work so I couldn't deploy, so I couldn't get close. But still, a good night for the DEX Imaging Chevy. We stuck it out, obviously chaotic. It was pretty crazy. We led a lot of laps, and we can be proud of the night. We had a car to win the race, but track position is key, especially at the end when we are turning really, really quick times. The DEX Imaging Chevy has been fast all week and we could have easily won the race, but we didn't. We got second and we got great points."

WILL POWER No. 12 VERIZON CHEVROLET

START: 4TH 
FINISH: 18TH 
POINTS: 4TH (-64)
 

RACE RUNDOWN: Will Power was the dominant driver in Saturday night's Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway, leading a race high 117 laps in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet before a late-race incident derailed his chance at a third victory of the season. After starting the race from the fourth position, Power steadily worked his way to the front of the field by the 27th lap of the 260-lap event. The two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion remained there until the third pit cycle of the evening when he was held up on both entry and exit of pit lane, dropping him to third in the running order behind his Team Penske teammates, Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin. Race strategist Ron Ruzewski elected to bring Power down pit lane for the final pit stop on Lap 218 while his teammates stayed on the track, allowing Power to use the full strength of his Verizon Chevy while others were forced to save fuel. On Lap 240, while racing the No. 66 of David Malukas, the two made contact that resulted in Malukas spinning to bring out a caution. Power would restart in the third position but as the field was taking the green flag, he was contacted in the rear by the No. 7 of Alexander Rossi, severely damaging his Chevrolet and forcing Power to retire early in the 18th position. 

POWER'S THOUGHTS: "I think the leader went real late and then someone checked up in front of me and I just got pounded. Man, a tough points night for us.  So disappointing. We had such a good car.  We have had really bad luck in the last two races. We will keep fighting and see if we can get the Verizon Chevy up there.  That will be pretty tough from here, but I don't know why. I do not know why they would keep backing it up. It's just tough."

The 14th round of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES campaign will take place at Portland International Raceway on Sunday, August 25.