There was a feeling that Josef Newgarden’s moniker as ‘The Oval King’ was in danger after Team Penske teammate David Malukas got the better of him in qualifying and captured the pole, and then again during the race when ECR’s Christian Rasmussen’s daring outside passes put on a show that propelled him to the front. In the end, though, it was Newgarden surging on a late restart from 10th and making the winning pass with seven laps to go, reminding everyone why he’s the standard they’re chasing anytime the IndyCar Series races on an oval.
There was no shortage of action and drama around Phoenix Raceway’s 1-mile tri-oval, with plenty of winners and losers once the checkered flag fell.
