INDIANAPOLIS — Josef Newgarden swept the day, as he and his Team Penske crew won the Oscar Mayer $150,000 Pit Stop Challenge for the second consecutive year Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Newgarden turned the fastest lap during Carb Day practice earlier in the day.
Newgarden beat Will Power in an all-Team Penske final that required all three rounds. Newgarden’s crew won the first round, Power’s the second.
But in the final round, the No. 2 crew changed four tires and completed a simulated fueling in 10.263 seconds, while Power and the No. 12 crew trailed at 10.503. The No. 2 crew earned a $50,000 prize, with the No. 12 crew collecting $25,000.
This was the record-extending 20th victory in the annual pit stop contest for Team Penske, and Newgarden became just the fifth driver to win three or more times.
The victory could be a good omen for Newgarden, who last year became the first driver to sweep the pit stop contest and the 500 in the same year since Helio Castroneves in 2009, also for Team Penske.
Newgarden and Power will start 32nd and 33d, respectively, in Sunday’s 109th Indianapolis 500.
