Two-time reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Josef Newgarden won Saturday’s IndyCar Bommarito 500 after spinning on the track but regaining control and then withstanding two late restarts.
Newgarden’s spin and win recalled a similar move by Danny Sullivan in winning the 1985 Indy 500 without hitting a wall.
Newgarden captured his 31st career IndyCar win and his fifth at the 1.25-mile oval at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.
“The team needed it. They have given me race-winning cars during the year,” Newgarden said. “It’s nice to get another one on the board.”
The 33-year-old American finished 260 laps just ahead of New Zealand pole sitter Scott McLaughlin with Swedish rookie Linus Lundqvist third, compatriot Colton Herta fourth and Spanish season points leader Alex Palou fifth — with no other car on the lead lap.
The race appeared set to come down to a restart with 10 laps remaining led by Newgarden.
A hesitation to reach top speed, however, led to Australian Will Power having to slow back in the pack and his car being struck in the rear by that of American Alexander Rossi, the front of whose car lifted into the air before both crashed.
That led to a red flag halting the race and an irate Power, who was second in the points chase, yelling at rivals.
“Whoever was leading, he waited,” Power said after walking from his car unharmed. “I knew I was going to get pounded. Wow. Disappointing. We’ll keep fighting.”
The next restart came with six laps remaining and Newgarden sped away to the finish.
“The worst part about that is obviously the 12 (Power) not making it home. I hate that that happened at the very end,” Newgarden said.
“It kind of looked like the green went out before I went, just momentarily, and it caused a big accordion.
“The last thing you want to happen with 10 to go was create a mess. I wasn’t trying to do that.”
Newgarden’s other wins on the Madison oval came in 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
– Malukas and Power bump –
McLaughlin surged ahead at the start until David Malukas passed him on the inside on lap 17 and Power grabbed the lead from the American on turn three of lap 27.
A caution flag for a second-turn spin by Newgarden, who escaped damage and the outer wall, jumbled matters late in the race but another crash involving Power allowed him to get back in the hunt.
Malukas moved alongside Power in the first turn with 20 laps remaining and the cars touched, sending Malukas crashing into the outer wall and allowing Newgarden to move in front.
“I had a run, I set it up and went down the inside,” Malukas said. “Power just came by and screamed at me. I braked. I slowed down. I gave him as much room as I could. He gave me a tap and that was it. Not much else I could do. I thought it was a good move.
“If he had stayed in the second line it was perfectly fine. If you’re going to come down and hit me like that, it’s really unfortunate.”
Four events remain in the 17-race IndyCar season, the next on August 25 in Portland, Oregon.
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