Josef Newgarden achieved a lifelong dream amid a season in which he finished fifth in the NTT IndyCar Series standings.
The two-time IndyCar champion kickstarted his title campaign with a thrilling victory in April at Texas Motor Speedway where he out-dueled Pato O’Ward for the win.
A tumultuous three races followed as the driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet finished seventh or worse in each of the three events.
However, Newgarden’s season caught fire in May.
The Nashville, Tenn., native broke through to win the Indianapolis 500 in his 12th start in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Newgarden topped 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson for the $3.666 million triumph.
The 32-year-old continued his oval dominance with a clean sweep of the Iowa Speedway doubleheader weekend. Newgarden led a combined 341 of the 500 laps run at the seven-eighths-mile bullring.
Newgarden’s fifth straight oval win tied him with A.J. Foyt and Al Unser for the longest win-streak on an oval.
After running as high as second in the standings, a pair of 25th-place finishes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Illinois’ Worldwide Technology Raceway derailed his title hopes.
A 21st-place effort in the season finale at California’s WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca sent Newgarden from third to fifth in the standings.
Newgarden tallied five podium finishes and an average finish of 9.5.
Next year will be Newgarden’s 13th full-time IndyCar Series season.