2019 IndyCar title not yet in Newgarden’s hands
Josef Newgarden recently spoke prophetically about the upcoming IndyCar season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and the championship that could be won there.
“You could have a 60-point lead going in there and you still have to have a pretty good day,” he said before qualifying at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. “You can’t walk the thing. Probably have to finish 11th or 10th, which is still hard. It’s not easy to show up and finish in that spot.”
“To me, [the championship] is still wide open, mainly because of double points. I don’t love it because it’s tough that it puts that much emphasis on a season finale,” he added.
The season finale is just a few days away and Newgarden doesn’t have a 60-point lead, nor does he feel comfy. He is in the lead, but his margin is below his comfort threshold. Alexander Rossi, Newgarden’s closest challenger, is only 43 points behind. Simon Pagenaud, Newgarden’s teammate, is 44 points behind.
Double points at the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey are good for Rossi and Pagenaud but dangerous for Newgarden — especially if he stumbles, no matter how slightly.
“We’ll show up at Laguna ready and do everything we can to win,” Rossi said after finishing third September 1 at Portland International Raceway. “There’s no point getting nervous. You have to go into it trying to win a race like you would every other weekend, and if we can do that, then the rest is out of our control.”
Newgarden’s 593 points lead Rossi’s 552 and Pagenaud’s 551. Scott Dixon is still in the chase with 509, but it would take bizarre circumstances for him to win a sixth championship. Newgarden needs 63 points to clinch his second championship in three years. Without considering bonus points, he needs to finish fourth or better to hold the Astor Cup over his head.
“I don’t think anyone has an advantage,” Newgarden said.
THE TIMES