He did a really good job and passed Will Power for 3rd in the final few laps. His crew did good in the pits and he ran as high as 2nd early in the race. Overall during the race the lowest he ran was 8th. He jumped up 4 spots in the Indycar season standings and is currently 8th, just 15 points out of 5th place!
Josef got another podium at Barber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not as good as a win like last year, but he still got to spray champagne.
Minimal Passing A Caution-free Race and a Controversial 'non-call' gave Simon Pagenaud his first win driving for Roger Penske.
We really like Simon Pagenaud, and we don't know how many others drivers may have cut across the yellow line at the end of the pits but Scott Dixon lost the race when Simon Pagenaud did it and didn't get penalized.
GP of Long Beach TOP 10
1. Simon Pagenaud : After over a year of trying, and runner up finishes in the first two races of the season, he finally gets a win for Roger Penske.
2. Scott Dixon: Very disappointed with second, but still off to a super start this season.
3. Helio Castroneves: Sat on pole and led the most laps but just wasn't his day in the end.
4. Juan Montoya: His fourth Top 5 in five starts at Long Beach
5. Takuma Sato: Highest finishing Honda and put on a great show trying to finish fourth.
6. Tony Kanaan: A win at Long Beach still eludes him.
7. Will Power: Climbed to eighth in points despite missing the first race of the season.
8. James Hinchcliffe: Started 7th for his 3rd Top Ten in 6 starts at Long Beach.
9. Sebastien Bourdais: Biggest mover of the race after starting 14th.
10. Josef Newgarden: A problem in the pits cost him a few positions. Started 9th.
Different Teams: 6 (Penske, Ganassi, ECR, KV, Schmidt, AJ Foyt)
Different Countries: 8 (France, New Zealand, Brazil, Columbia, Japan, Australia, Canada, USA)
Fun Facts
6 Lead Changes among 4 Different Race Leaders
Average Speed: 100.592 (the fastest in Long Beach history)
Fastest Lap 104.702 by Charlie Kimball
Thoughts Helio did a great job grabbing the pole after Will Power went into the runoff area during the Firestone Fast Six
It was fun to watch Takuma Sato making a run up the field and trying desperately (albeit unsuccessfully) to pass Juan Montoya for fourth in the last few laps
Great to see Simon Pagenaud still leading the points after a win and two second place finishes this season. Things are certainly clicking for him at Team Penske after a rough 2015 season.
NEXT UP: Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park
even though he had to come from the back of the field twice!!
image from motorsport.com
Josef had such a strong car, and after starting 7th he probably could've easily had a top three if not for an early fueling problem in the pits, and then a bad move by Charlie Kimball that forced him to make an extra pit stop.
Next up Long Beach where Josef has had some pretty good runs despite having only one top 10 in his previous 4 races there. Most notably when he was leading the race in 2014 before contact with Ryan Hunter Reay put both of them out.
Cant' wait!!! Go Josef!!! post by Alexandra, Age 8
In the first race at Phoenix Raceway for Indycar since 2005, Scott Dixon led the action packed race for his 39th career Indycar win, tying for third with Al Unser Sr. on the All-Time Indycar wins list.
As the green flag dropped at Phoenix Raceway for the Verizon Indycar Series return, pole sitter Helio Castroneves took the early lead, leading the first 39 laps. Castroneves surrendered the lead on lap 40 to fellow Penske teammate Juan Montoya when his right front tire went down. Montoya then held control until lap 95, when his right front tire also went down, giving the lead to Scott Dixon, who took it all the way to victory lane.
1. Scott Dixon: His 39th Indycar win, tying Al Unser Sr. for third on the all time wins list
2. Simon Pagenaud: Takes over the points lead with 2nd place finishes at St Pete and PIR
3. Will Power: Solid start to his season after missing the first race at St Pete.
4.Tony Kanaan: One of only 2 drivers in the race to have previously won at Phoenix.
5. Graham Rahal: Highest finishing Honda. (sounds familiar to a lot of races last year.)
6. Josef Newgarden: A good finish considering A rough pit stop and an incident on track with Charlie Kimball were major setbacks.
7. Max Chilton: Highest finishing rookie in his first ever oval race.
8. Sebastien Bourdais: A good finish considering he hit the wall midway through the race.
9. Juan Montoya: Had a tire go down while leading and never got back up front.
10. Ryan Hunter-Reay: Some phenomenal passing had him towards the front but some equally crazy bad luck on two yellows left him in a disappointing 10th place.
Different Teams: 6(Andretti, Penske, Ganassi, ECR, KV Racing, RLL)
Different Countries: 7 (New Zealand, France, Australia, Brazil, US, England, Columbia)
Fun Facts
Cautions: 6
Caution Laps: 46
Lead Changes: 3
Leaders: 3
Average Speed: 139.822
Next race. April 17th at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama
Next oval race.....
The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500!!!!!! May 29th!
