BY GEORGE DICKIE
Josef Newgarden knows all about disappointment at Indy.
He's been there 10 times.
Indeed, the two-time NTT IndyCar Series champ and (at
this writing) leader in the Series standings is one of the best
drivers in the business but you wouldn't know that by his
record in the Indianapolis 500.
Since his first race in 2012, the 31-year-old Nashville
native's best finish in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing was
third in 2016, his worst a 30th place DNF (did not finish) in
2014, to go along with a few top-fives, top-10s and DNFs.
Yes, he hasn't exactly distinguished himself on the 2.5-mile
quad oval at the Brickyard.
But if there is a glimmer of hope for him to latch onto in
2022, it's this: In recent testing, the driver of the No. 2 Chevy
turned in a blistering lap averaging 229.519 mph to lead a
31-car field.
Many drivers usually don't pay much attention to testing
times because they know the only ones that actually mean
anything are on qualifying day. And last year he qualified at
21st even though he had a leading test time of 226.819 mph
a few weeks earlier. But Newgarden
will take his small victory and hope
for the best.
He and the likes of past race
champs Helio Castroneves, Scott
Dixon, Takuma Sato, Will Power
and Simon Pagenaud will be in the
33-car field when the Indianapolis
500 is run for the 106th time at
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 29, on NBC.
Newgarden looks to break
through – fi nally – at Indy
• FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 30 - JUNE 5, 2022 •
Shakira is featured on
"Dancing With Myself,"
premiering Tuesday on NBC.
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