Josef Newgarden has been on an emotional roller coaster this year. It started with the high of
winning the 24hrs of Daytona, followed by another win in the NTT IndyCar Series season
opener at St. Pete. However, during the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend it was
found that he and his team had used the “Push to Pass” (P2P) system in St. Pete when they
weren’t supposed to have had it available. The series disqualified and fined him and he lost all
his points. After an emotional press conference at the Barber Motorsports Park event,
Newgarden went about re-focusing on what he knows best which is driving fast and winning
races. This all culminated with a win at the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500. We caught up
with him at Long Beach before any of the drama had ensued to get his take on his season so far,
a preview of the Indy 500 and he also answers a RaceSchool.com Podcast listener’s question as
well!

Newgarden’s win at Indy was a real classic. He made the pass for the win on the last lap on the
outside of Turn 3. Can he pull off the ultimate season of winning the 500 and the championship?
Time will tell, but he has the first part down. Enjoy!

NOTE: Josef Newgarden qualified third for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, got to the lead
and was out front for a total of 19 laps. As the race neared the end, Newgarden erased a four-
second deficit to Scott Dixon (on an alternate fuel-save pit strategy) and with nine laps to go was
on Dixon’s gearbox. Unfortunately, Colton Herta had also closed the gap to Newgarden and in
the tight, Turn 11 hairpin, made slight nose-to-gearbox contact with the Penske driver and that
little lifting of the rear end of Newgarden’s car activated the anti-stall system which slowed him
coming off of the hairpin. Newgarden recovered to finish fourth.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Josef Newgarden salutes the fans just prior to the start of the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. It was going great for him until nine laps to the finish, and then a few days later things really turned sour. . .

Newgarden hustles his car through the long, sweeping Turn 10, early in the morning not using any curb yet.

In contrast to Turn 10, Newgarden uses every bit of curbing here in Turn 5 as he prepares to rocket down Shoreline Drive again. Not long after this, Colton Herta would have an up close, and personal look at the back of Newgarden’s car!

Newgarden turns hard-right to get through the super tight Turn 11 hairpin. In this photo, rookie Nolan Siegel is close behind.

With the iconic Long Beach city skyline in the background, Newgarden is getting ready to put over 700 horsepower to the ground momentarily when he exits the hairpin for the long, front- straight of Shoreline Drive.

In the shadows of Southern California palm trees, Newgarden is having a strong showing at the Beach. Next to him is some nice greenery and flowers. One month later, greenery and flowers in the form of a wreath would be around his neck in Victory Lane and placed next to his car in the winner’s photo below.

Photo credit: Penske Entertainment: Chris Owens

In a triumphant comeback to his rollercoaster season, Josef Newgarden sits in his Dallara Indy car on the yard of bricks with the winner’s wreath and Borg-Warner trophy the morning after winning the Indianapolis 500.

Interview and photos Copyright © by Larry Mason (unless otherwise noted)