Newgarden Dominates, Power Frustrated after Penske Pit Antics at Gateway

Newgarden Victorious, McLaughlin Second, Power Fifth

Penske Duo Set for Post-Race Debrief

Josef Newgarden continued his impressive 2024 IndyCar campaign with a commanding victory at World Wide Technology Raceway. The Team Penske driver took the lead on the final restart with six laps to go and held off teammate Scott McLaughlin for a 1.72-second win.

The race was not without its drama, as a spin by Newgarden on Lap 195 brought out the caution. Newgarden's teammate Josef Newgarden recovered to finish second, while Will Power was left frustrated after a slow restart by Newgarden ended his podium hopes.

Newgarden's Career-High Fifth Win

Newgarden's win was his fifth of the season, a career high for the two-time IndyCar champion. The victory also moved him into the championship lead, 35 points ahead of McLaughlin.

Newgarden's triumph came at the expense of teammate McLaughlin, who led for much of the race. McLaughlin finished second, while Power crossed the line in fifth.

Power Frustrated by Newgarden's Restart

Power was visibly frustrated after the race, blaming Newgarden's slow restart on the final caution for his disappointing result.

Power said, "I don't know what happened there. I got a good restart, but then Josef just bogged down. It cost me a podium finish."

Newgarden apologized for the incident, saying, "I made a mistake. I'm not sure what happened, but I let the clutch out too slowly. I'm sorry to Will. He deserved a better result."

Heated Conversations Expected in Penske Truck

The incident is likely to lead to some heated conversations in the Penske team truck. The team has been dominant this season, but there have been some signs of tension between Newgarden and Power.

It remains to be seen how the team will move forward from this incident. But one thing is for sure: the championship battle between Newgarden and McLaughlin is far from over.