Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, driver of the No.2 PPG Chevrolet, has been the stand-out performer on ovals in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2023, having won all of the oval races this season including the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in May.
The Tennessee native goes into the race at World Wide Technology Raceway as the defending race winner from a year ago, and speaking ahead of the race this weekend, Newgarden said:
“It’s obviously been a good year for everyone on the No. 2 PPG Chevrolet team. “Every driver would sign up for four wins including the Indianapolis 500. We haven’t had the consistency we all want but we are going to fight all the way to the checkered flag at Laguna Seca, and St. Louis is a good place for us to gain ground. The Team Penske effort on the ovals this year has been extraordinary. To be in a position to sweep all of the ovals this year – let alone join a short list of drivers that includes AJ Foyt and Al Unser, Sr. that have won five consecutive oval races – is surreal. The paddock is going to catch up to us. We know that but we aren’t going to give up our oval crown easily.”
Newgarden goes into the race this weekend in third in the championship, 105 points behind leader Alex Palou.