Josef Newgarden converted a second-place start to a second-place finish at the 2026 IndyCar Music City GP. It marks his third podium of the season after wins at Phoenix and Gateway, and his 9th podium in 12 oval races going back to 2024. The veteran led a 2-3-4 finish for Team Penske behind winner Alex Palou.
A late caution creates “a track position race”
Newgarden was in the hunt all race, but did not lead a lap of the 225 run. He found himself in second when the final caution came out for Dennis Hauger’s crash on lap 181, but it was Palou ahead at the caution and Palou ahead after the yellow-flag pit stops. Switching to the alternate tyre for that final stint made no difference, and
“It was what it was. It was a track position race with 30 laps. I don’t think it really mattered.“
After the race, Newgarden surmised that he would have had a better chance at the win if that tyre stint–at least–was able to be completed under green.
“I didn’t think it was going to fully be that way if we could have gotten more full stints. Before the last yellow, I was coming, I was ready. The track was still open. Just didn’t get enough of it.“
Would 75 extra laps have helped?
He believed that this would have likely not been a problem had the race been run to its original distance. The race was shortened from 300 to 225 laps after being rescheduled from Sunday evening to Monday afternoon.
“Today that would have been great because we would have had more full stints, hopefully. Unless there were more yellows. I don’t mind the yellows. You can’t give up the track position under the yellows. If we just had less yellows, that would have been ideal.“
Ultimately, Newgarden seemed resigned but unfazed by the runner-up finish.
“I mean, it is what it is. I got blocked a couple times. We lost track position a couple times. It’s racing. Sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t.“
