Despite starting strong and leading 98 laps from an unchallenged pole position, Newgarden fell out of the IndyCar title race after a costly exit in St. Louis. Newgarden had to maintain a point deficit not exceeding 108 points behind series frontrunner Alex Palou to remain in contention for the championship.
However, an alternate pit strategy employed by Scott Dixon, Palou’s teammate at Chip Ganassi Racing, completely flipped the script. The New Zealand driver chose to pit only three times, as opposed to the five pit stops that most of his competitors took.
Newgarden’s luck took a sharp turn for the worse when he collided with the wall at Turn 2 in a bid to recoup his track position. This mishap occurred with 50 laps remaining, as Newgarden lost control while navigating through debris on the track, commonly known as “marbles.”
Though he managed to return to the pit, his car’s suspension was too severely damaged to continue the race. As a result, he ended up ranking 25th for the second consecutive race, mirroring his disappointing performance at Indianapolis a fortnight ago.
In a post-race interview with NBC, Newgarden said, “I was on a mission to close the gap. Even if a yellow flag had come out, we were still lagging. After pitting, I was aggressively weaving through the field, but it backfired. I lost control and it was a rookie mistake, to be honest.”
Praising his team’s efforts, Newgarden added, “They did a fantastic job this weekend. We assembled a strong car and executed a competitive race, but sometimes things just don’t click. We’ll bring our A-game to the next race.”
Scott Dixon Stands as Palou’s Only Challenger
With Newgarden now out of the championship race, Scott Dixon is the sole driver with a chance to topple Palou in the season’s last two events at Portland and Laguna Seca.
Dixon, who currently trails by 74 points, remarked, “We’re not throwing in the towel until the numbers definitively say we’re out. The team has been outstanding, and being in the top two in the championship at this stage is quite an accomplishment.”
On the note of his remarkable rise from a 16th starting position due to a nine-place penalty for an engine switch, Dixon elaborated, “I’m immensely proud of my team. We had to adapt and take a different route, but it paid off brilliantly. Keeping the tires intact was challenging, yet the team fed me the exact fuel metrics I needed. A huge shoutout to everyone involved.”
He concluded by humorously boasting about Honda’s fuel efficiency, saying, “And can we talk about that Honda mileage? It’s like the Tesla of IndyCars!”
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about IndyCar Championship
What led to Newgarden’s elimination from the IndyCar Championship race?
Newgarden collided with a wall at Turn 2 during the St. Louis race, causing severe damage to his car’s suspension. Despite initially leading 98 laps from a pole position, this incident forced him to exit and subsequently dashed his hopes for the championship.
Who is now the only rival to Alex Palou for the championship?
Scott Dixon, a teammate of Alex Palou at Chip Ganassi Racing, is now the only driver who can challenge Palou for the IndyCar Championship.
How did Scott Dixon manage to turn the race in his favor?
Scott Dixon employed an alternate pit strategy, opting for three pit stops instead of the usual five that most competitors took. This strategic move allowed him to gain a significant advantage and ultimately turned the race on its head.
What was Newgarden’s strategy for catching up after his pit stop?
Newgarden was aggressively weaving through the field in an attempt to close the gap and regain his track position. However, his attempt backfired when he got into the marbles and lost control, leading to a collision with the wall.
What were the consequences of Newgarden’s collision?
Newgarden was classified 25th for the second consecutive race, severely hurting his championship chances. He was already recovering from an opening lap crash in Indianapolis two weeks prior to the St. Louis race.
What are the remaining races where the championship will be decided?
The final two races that will decide the championship are at Portland and Laguna Seca.
What did Scott Dixon say about his team’s performance?
Scott Dixon praised his team for doing a “tremendous job” and pointed out that being in the top two of the championship at this stage is quite an achievement. He also highlighted their adaptability in employing a successful alternate pit strategy.
How many laps did Newgarden lead before his unfortunate exit?
Newgarden led 98 laps of the race from his pole position before his collision and subsequent exit from the race.
More about IndyCar Championship
- IndyCar Official Website
- Newgarden’s Season Stats
- Scott Dixon’s Career Highlights
- Alex Palou’s Current Season
- Chip Ganassi Racing Team
- IndyCar Championship Standings
- Recap of Previous IndyCar Race in Indianapolis
- Guide to IndyCar Pit Strategies
- Explanation of “Marbles” in Racing
10 comments
Dixon vs Palou in the finals? Get ur popcorn ready, this is gonna be a showdown!
Scott Dixon is like the Gandalf of IndyCar. “You shall not pass… unless I decide to pit only three times.”
Feel bad for Newgarden tho. Leading 98 laps and then boom! Wall. That’s gotta hurt.
Go Palou! One step closer to the championship. Can’t wait for Portland and Laguna Seca.
seriously, can someone give Dixon’s pit crew an award or something? Those guys are game changers.
Oof, two 25th places in a row for Newgarden? thats rough, better luck next season bud.
Wow, talk about a plot twist! Newgarden seemed like a sure thing, but then Dixon’s pit magic happened. Racing, man, full of surprises.
Newgarden was doin so good, then got caught in the marbles. It’s like stepping on a banana peel in Mario Kart.
98 laps by Newgarden? Man, and I can’t even lead in my fantasy league for one week.
Dixon mentioned Honda’s fuel mileage at the end, lol. Who needs a Tesla when you got that kinda efficiency on the racetrack?