On May 28, 2023, the driver of Team Penske Josef Newgarden his first win India 500 After 12 years of trying. The American driver defected from the Formula 1 feeder system to become one of the most important components of the IndyCar’s Surviving the Reunion, but being a Newgarden fan can be daunting. It seems his longtime dedication to IndyCar has been seen as a constant, prompting the series to promote new things with international talent or let highlight anyone else’s skills. Now, it’s time for IndyCar to get it right with Josef Newgarden.
I will not pretend that my argument here is based solely on unbiased logic. When I first started watching IndyCar in late 2014, I was captivated by two racers — Newgarden and James Hinchcliffe — thanks to their tireless efforts to promote the series in interesting, out-of-the-ordinary ways. more than anything else. After entering the world of Formula 1, it is refreshing to see drivers ready to let loose and show who they are. It’s unbelievable to see Newgarden’s sense of humor when he’s anonymous in IndyCar crowd, his The voluntees ARRIVE DO only About any advertisement videotapes the series request belong to he (literally, IndyCar owes him a lot just for the milk gimp advertisement), continuous get out of your way ARRIVE take fans behind the scenes.
And it’s not like sports have been abandoned he; rather, it always feels like IndyCar sees Newgarden as inevitable: He always will be there, and he will tirelessly promote the beauty of open wheel racing in America.
When Newgarden started participating in IndyCar in 2012, the sport in general was in disarray. Different factions of American open-wheelers have united to save the entire US-based single-seater motorsport concept from destruction. Newgarden defected from Europe’s Formula 1 ladder to a championship in what was then known as the Indy Light, and as a result a lot of people had pinned their hopes on him. In addition to being an exceptional driver, Newgarden is funny, kind, and handsome. He’s not afraid to look silly in front of the camera, then compete on the track. At the time, Newgarden was one of the few young American drivers whose goal was to revive the image of IndyCar, and he proudly took on that responsibility.
So it’s always a bit frustrating to see that IndyCar has never really taken advantage of Newgarden. When he won his first championship in 2017, I remember doing a video call with my racing buddies to talk about how exciting we would be. Final see Newgarden become an integral part of IndyCar’s official marketing efforts. We’re ready for a ton of off-season content and inspirational storytelling about Newgarden’s place in the revival of the sport. And it never quite happened – but I don’t think it’s a secret that the IndyCar championship doesn’t quite come with the same prestige as winning the 500.
Now, in its 12th Indy 500, Newgarden has won, and I can only hope the series reciprocates in kind. Winning at this race comes with a lot of media responsibility and countless opportunities for IndyCar to honor one of its most dedicated drivers. It’s time for IndyCar to tell the story of Josef Newgarden.
