Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden delivered a memorable performance in the opening race of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, but his commanding performance Sunday in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding could leave a lasting impression. Nearly half of the remaining races this season – seven of the next 16 – are on such tracks. Newgarden led 92 of the race’s 100 laps, and he effectively led more than that. On the restart lap, Newgarden overhauled Herta in Turn 4, then nearly took Rosenqvist in that same spot on the next lap. Newgarden backed out of that passing attempt to avoid potential contact but passed Rosenqvist a lap later. Of his 30 race wins, he has led at least 80 percent of the laps nine times. His most dominant performance was in 2018 at Road America when he led 53 of the 55 laps (96.4 percent).

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