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NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Pato O’Ward Conquers Josef Newgarden for Crucial Win at Iowa
Published Jul bk8 outfitters. 12, 2025, 9:38 p.m. ET
Bob Pockrass, FOX Motorsports Insider
NEWTON, Iowa — A Much-Needed Victory
When Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan addressed the media during the news conference after the race, he highlighted how Chevrolet was in dire need of its first win of the season and how crucial this victory was for the team. But what about Pato O’Ward, the driver himself? It seemed he required this win just as desperately as anyone else, ultimately capturing the first race of the INDYCAR doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway.
“How badly did I need it?” O’Ward expressed. “I wanted it. I wouldn’t say it was the end of the world if I didn’t get it, but we’ve been working hard. jiligame login If it wasn’t a win, I think it would have been a second. I don’t know how many seconds I’ve had this year, but No. 1 looks and feels much better.”
O’Ward finished ahead of Josef Newgarden, who came in second, and Will Power, who secured third, during Race 1 at Iowa Speedway.
A Hard-Fought Competition
O’Ward had every reason to be proud of his victory, as he executed a faster pit stop during the final green-flag cycle which allowed him to overtake Newgarden. jilivs casino He maintained his lead, completing the last 32 laps en route to his win.
Both O’Ward and Newgarden had not won a race this year, and it’s notable that Newgarden has historically bested O’Ward in their one-on-one duels six times—seven if you include last year’s incident at St. Petersburg before Newgarden’s disqualification—where O’Ward finished behind Newgarden.
“If it wasn’t for him, I’d have a lot more wins,” O’Ward commented. “But he’s a tough competitor. This season has been quite different for him compared to the past. His attitude feels different, to be honest. I’ve studied him and now I know how to race against him.”
Newgarden is known for making aggressive moves to seize the lead, often putting his opponents in tight spots.
“Today is the day that’s going to change,” O’Ward declared. “He has a lot more experience than I do, but over the years, I’ve come to realize that I can be quite handy on certain ovals. I believe our package is strong, and it’s essential to capitalize on our chances to win.”
Emerging Leadership
O’Ward became only the fourth driver to win this season, joining Alex Palou (six wins), Kyle Kirkwood (three wins), and Scott Dixon (one win) crown 888 casino.
“We all needed it,” Kanaan said. “The team hadn’t won, and with Pato leading this team, he’s been remarkably consistent. Let’s face it, the series has been dominated by just two drivers, so this victory was crucial for everyone.”
Pato is the team leader, but he is facing stiff competition from teammate Christian Lundgaard, who recently joined from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Both have earned four podium finishes in the first ten races this season.
Some questioned whether O’Ward was still the true leader of the team. However, he solidified that status with his latest victory. “We can’t make him any less of a leader just because Christian is performing well,” Kanaan stated. “It’s well known that this has been Pato’s team for a long time. We welcome Christian, and now we want this to be a shared leadership.”
Chasing the Championship
Leaders are expected to contend for championships. O’Ward has cut down Alex Palou’s lead by 20 points but still trails by 105 points with six races remaining. One of those races will occur on Sunday in the second leg of the Iowa doubleheader, where Palou starts from the pole position and O’Ward will start ninth.
“The guy just doesn’t have any bad races, and a bad race for him is a fifth place finish,” O’Ward explained. “He’s usually on the podium. We need to keep pushing forward. I’ve been as consistent as ever, and laying low normally means I’m steering clear of trouble. However, being in podium contention and qualifying in the top three every single weekend is tough.”
Pato O’Ward has secured a significant first win of the 2025 season.
After finishing fifth, Palou believes O’Ward will once again present a threat in the next race.
“Pato has a good chance tomorrow to try and get two wins in less than 24 hours,” Palou said. “We need to elevate our game and aim to finish at the front.”
Can the “anything can happen” scenario genuinely unfold and allow someone to catch Palou? Given the unlikelihood of a slow pit stop for Newgarden when he needed it most, perhaps anything is possible.
“Palou is doing his job,” Kanaan noted. “It’s up to us to stop him. We’ll do our best 90 jili log in. He’s certainly strong, but we’ll see how it goes.”
What are your thoughts on this thrilling race and the upcoming challenges for the drivers?
