At the end of Sunday’s (Sept. 11) Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey, Will Power took home his second NTT IndyCar Series title by 16 points over Josef Newgarden.
While Power did everything in his power – I know, I’m sorry – to take home the title by winning the pole on Saturday, and leading the first lap (exploits worth two bonus points), difficult circumstances for the other title contenders helped the No. 12 team’s campaign throughout the day.
Those who entered the day with a shot at the Astor Cup were: Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson and Scott McLaughlin. Everybody was not treated all the same by the legendary NorCal track.
Start: 25
Finish: 2
Newgarden’s weekend was derailed quickly and dramatically at the start of Saturday’s qualifying session.
Approaching the Corkscrew, Newgarden made an overly ambitious entry, clipping the apex curb with the left side tires and spinning through the corner and into the gravel trap, with no chance to rejoin the track. The resulting red flag meant that Newgarden was ineligible to advance to the Firestone Fast 12 and the two-time champion would start Sunday’s race from 25th place.
No big deal, apparently.
Newgarden had climbed to 14th place by lap 11, eighth by lap 38, and restarted in fifth after a stranded Callum Ilott triggered a full course caution on lap 39. Just after the race’s halfway point, the driver of the No. 2 Hitachi Chevrolet made his intentions clear, sending dive after diver into the Corkscrew to overtake Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, and Power in the same corner over the course of only five laps.
From P25 to going after the race leader.@josefnewgarden gets around @12WillPower and is charging after @AlexPalou.
WATCH LIVE: @NBC, @PeacockTV and @NBCUniverso#INDYCAR // #FirestoneGP pic.twitter.com/IYPEPItY1b
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) September 11, 2022
Newgarden opted to make one extra pit stop compared to the rest of the field as the race wound down, having held a fresh set of Firestone Primaries and Alternates for the race’s end. The raw pace of this fresh rubber made staying in front of Power through the pit cycle look like child’s play and Newgarden firmly planted himself in second place, albeit far behind eventual winner Palou.
On the day, Newgarden’s second place left him 16 points short of Power for the title.
Start: 13
Finish: 12
Dixon’s bid for a record tying seventh title was, like that of Newgarden, put on its…
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