Photo Credit: Joe Skibinski/IndyCar Media
Hendersonville Tennessee native, Josef Newgarden, made the jump from Ed Carpenter Racing to Team Penske over the off-season, he will make his debut behind the wheel of the No. 2 Verizon Chevrolet and he will be looking to make a huge jump that should pay off.
Newgarden commented about the upcoming season and his recent changes saying, “I’m so excited that the season is here. It feels like the offseason has lasted forever. Obviously, I’m in a new place, but that adds to the excitement. There has been a lot to digest over the winter, but I feel good about it. The whole team has worked really hard and come together nicely. We’ve had a number of test sessions and I think we’re in great shape. We’ll continue to grow as the season gets started, but all teams do that. As far as St. Petersburg goes, I, personally, haven’t had great results, but this Verizon Chevrolet team has won the last two races there. I love the atmosphere and the vibe there. It’s a great environment.”
He was able to qualify the No.2 on row two alongside James Hinchcliffe. His teammate, Will Power, will start on the pole for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, with Verizon Indy Car Series veteran, Scott Dixon, rounding out the first two rows.
Newgarden will make his 84th start in the series with it being his sixth start at the track in western Florida. It was also the track at which he made his Verizon Indy Car Series debut in 2012 with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. In that race, he gained an 11th place finish after starting 22nd. His best finish at St. Pete came in the 2014 event where he obtained a ninth place finish. The fourth place starting spot is his best career start in St. Petersburg and he will look to cap off his debut weekend with Team Penske with at least a podium.
You don’t have to look to far back to see his last victory in the series. He dominated in the corn fields at the Iowa Speedway last July after starting second. He ended last season with two straight top-ten finishes and will look to continue that momentum into the season opener. You can’t win or lose a championship in round one, but you can certainly help or hurt your road to the championship.
He was able to finish in the top-ten 11 times last season, a season that included an injury halfway through the season. Just imagine what he will do when he’s running at 100%.
