Track: Long Beach Street Circuit
Race: Grand Prix of Long Beach
Date: April 15, 2018
No. 1 Verizon Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet – Josef Newgarden
Start: 6th
Finish: 7th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 85/85
Laps Led: 3
Points Position (behind leader): 2nd (-22)
Notes:
- Defending Verizon IndyCar Series Champion Josef Newgarden started the Grand Prix of Long Beach from the sixth position.
- Early the race, Newgarden and the No. 1 Verizon Dallara/Chevrolet was able to pick up a few spots on the track and slot himself into the top-five.
- Electing for a three-stop pit strategy, Newgarden came to the pits for the first time on lap 15, getting primary tires and fuel, dropping him to 13th.
- Newgarden was able to get around teammate Will Power for third as pit stops cycled out and battled Scott Dixon for second.
- While the three-stop strategy looked to be working for Newgarden, briefly led for three laps as others pitted, a late caution saw him have to visit the pits under yellow, significantly hurting his chances for a podium.
- Newgarden was able to charge up to seventh at the finish and now sits second in the Verizon IndyCar Series point standings.
Quote: "Well, I think we had a good day working. Certainly at least a podium, but we kept getting bit by yellows a couple times a day and had to fight our way back from them. It didn't work in our favor. It is disappointing I think when you look at the speed of our car. I think we had a capable performance of challenging for a podium, but it didn't work out. Thanks to Verizon and Team Chevy for making some of this happen and all of our other partners. We will just go to Barber and try and have a smooth weekend and try to get back to the top step of the podium."
No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet – Will Power
Start: 2nd
Finish: 2nd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 85/85
Laps Led: 6
Points Position (behind leader): 8th (-54)
Notes:
- Despite a scrape with the wall in qualifying, Will Power started the Grand Prix of Long Beach in the second position on Sunday.
- Power slipped to third at the green, but was able to avoid an accident involving teammate Simon Pagenaud, who was spun into the wall just to Power's outside going into turn one.
- Power led multiple laps early in the race due to varying pit strategies, holding the top spot for six laps until giving it up for his first pit stop of the day.
- Power and the No. 12 Verizon Dallara/Chevrolet opted for a two-stop race, coming in first at lap 31 and again at lap 60, just before a full-course caution at lap 61.
- Power moved into second with less than 20 laps to go and tried to chase down race leader Alexander Rossi.
- Unfortunately, despite having more push to pass than Rossi late in the event, Power wasn't able to make the pass and finished second.
Quote: "Yeah, (Rossi) was definitely good early in the stint. But there at the end, that was absolutely driving just as hard as I could go and I am sure he was driving has hard as he could go. I am sure he was using push to pass and the Hondas are just a little bit better out of the hairpin. On the restarts, I couldn't get close. I think we had better top end but their drive out of the hairpins was really good. Chevy has done a great job and we have great horsepower this year and it's awesome to get the Verizon Chevrolet on the podium this year."
No. 22 DXC Technology Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet – Simon Pagenaud
Start: 3rd
Finish: 24th
Status: Accident
Laps Completed: 0/85
Laps Led: 0
Points Position (behind leader): 16th (-82)
Notes:
- 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series Champion Simon Pagenaud qualified his No. 22 DXC Technology Dallara/Chevrolet solidly in the third position for Sunday's Grand Prix of Long Beach.
- Unfortunately, his day was cut short without completing one lap as he was contacted from behind by the No. 15 of Graham Rahal going into the first corner.
- With significant damage, a decision was made to park the No. 22 Chevrolet due to the fact that it came to a stop on a part of the track that was deemed unsafe to be retrieved, ending Pagenaud's day.
Quote:
"Not a good day for the DXC Chevrolet team here at Long Beach. We didn't even get to make one corner. I thought we had a really good start and (Alexander) Rossi blocked my run so I went to the outside and Will (Power) had a good braking point. I knew we were going to be three wide and I would be on the outside, so it's not like I got on the brakes early. I guess (Graham) Rahal just mistimed his braking. It's a shame because we had such a competitive car and I felt great all weekend, and I feel bad for the DXC Technology people here this weekend."