Newgarden Roars Back to Victory at Phoenix

Josef Newgarden has returned to victory lane in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, securing his first win of the season at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday.

Late-Race Pass Secures Win

Newgarden hunted down and passed race leader Kyle Kirkwood with just seven laps remaining to win the Good Ranchers 250. The two-time series champion drove away to a 1.7937-second victory in the No. 2 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet over Kirkwood’s No. 27 JM Bullion/Gold.com Andretti Global car.

Team Penske Dominates the Podium

David Malukas finished third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, giving Roger Penske’s team two podium finishes in its 60th anniversary season.

Rounding out the top five were Pato O’Ward in fourth (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) and Marcus Armstrong in fifth (No. 66 ROOT Insurance Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian).

“Momentum is a big deal,” Newgarden said to FOX during his victory lane interview. Josef Newgarden

A Turnaround for Newgarden

The 2025 season was a challenging one for Newgarden, with only one victory at Nashville. This win marks a strong start to the 2026 season and positions him as the leader in the IndyCar points standings after two races.

Race Recap

Newgarden’s victory came after a strong final run, utilizing a tire advantage to move through the top 10. He passed Christian Rasmussen with approximately 10 laps to go before ultimately overtaking Kirkwood for the lead.

Stay tuned for a complete report.