INDIANAPOLIS – Josef Newgarden’s quest to decrease Alex Palou’s whopping 84-point lead in the NTT IndyCar Series points championship will require him to drive from even deeper in the field in Saturday’s Gallagher Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
On Saturday morning, IndyCar officials announced a six-position starting grid penalty for the No. 2 Team Penske entry for an unapproved engine change following qualifying on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on Friday.
Newgarden will start 25th in the 27-car field for Saturday’s race. Palou starts eighth.
Newgarden’s No. 2 team was in violation of:
Rule 16.2.3.2 A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out.
According to Rule 16.6.1.2, the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, which is the Gallagher Grand Prix, today, at IMS.