Josef Newgarden in the No.2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet says that they had a tough day at the BitNile.com Portland Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Tennessee native crashed during practice on Saturday and started the race from 12th and finished the race in fifth.
Speaking following the action he said:
It was a tough day. I put us in a hole yesterday was my mistake in qualifying, and our car was clearly a lot quicker than starting 12. So, you know, I think at the start here, too, we definitely went even further back. This first time I’ve seen I felt like I was kind of getting into a wreck, so I just kind of bailed out. And then yeah, just took the escape road and probably didn’t even need to, but yeah, I just felt like I was about to get into one which is very possible here in Portland.
“So we fought back and the team did an amazing job. Like just so proud of the team, they were unbelievable in the pits, made the right calls all day and at a super fast car. So I you know, I’m just very thankful to the team for all their hard work and effort. And I think most importantly, today, just want to congratulate Alex and his team, very deserving champions. So, you know, tough year for us. But they did a great job super deserving, and we’ll come back next year. So that’s probably a good thing. I think so. It’s constant. You know, we’re always trying to evolve and you know, it’s trying to make a step this weekend, just evolution of how we’re going to approach things and you know, it’s always going to be the same game. It’s going to be one race at a time trying to maximize the weekend and by, you know, by far we did not maximize the weekend. No, thanks to me. So, you know, if we can clean stuff like that up, we get, you know, a little bit of the tide turn our way more so in the year than then I think we can definitely be in another championship run.”
Scott McLaughlin in the No.3 Freighliner Chevrolet started the race from second place and came home in ninth place and speaking following the action he said:
unfortunate day for the Freightliner Chevy today at Portland. I thought we were very quick today, but, in hindsight, we just started on the wrong tire. The primaries were the preferred tire with the red alternates really falling off over a stint. Once we had to pit earlier for tires and got overcut by the drivers that started on the primaries, you find yourself stuck in the back and your day is pretty much done. Those that started with the black tires really moved forward. It’s still another top 10 for this team. We’ll keep pushing forward and finish strong next weekend at Laguna Seca.”
Defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Will Power in the No.12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet suffered an uncharacteristically tough day.
The Australian started the race from seventh place and spun early in the race which put him a lap down.
Power ended the race in 25th place and speaking following the action he said:
Just a rough day for the Verizon 5G Chevy. I’m pretty disappointed in myself for making that mistake. I was just trying to keep (Alexander) Rossi behind me because he was on reds, and I expected them to fall off quickly. Just unacceptable because if we have a normal race we are likely fighting for a podium or top-five finish. Just have to try and move on and get a win at Laguna to finish the season.”
Next up for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the season-ending Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend.