SYNK 275 powered by Sukup
Newton, IA - July 12, 2025
JOSEF NEWGARDEN No. 2 ASTEMO CHEVROLET
START: 1ST
FINISH: 2ND
POINTS: 14TH (-275)
RACE RUNDOWN: Josef Newgarden and the No. 2 Astemo Chevrolet team finished second in Saturday's SYNK 275 presented by Sukup after controlling the majority of the 275-lap race. After starting from the pole position - the 19th of his NTT INDYCAR SERIES career - Newgarden began to consistently pace the field without ever being seriously challenged for the race lead. The six-time Iowa winner made history just after the halfway point by becoming the first driver in series history to lead over 2,000 laps at one track, and has led more laps at the 7/8-mile venue than the rest of today's field combined. Unfortunately for Newgarden and team, their final pit cycle was just off that of second place running Pato O'Ward, allowing O'Ward to blend off pit lane just in front of the Astemo Chevy. With a final stint that was interrupted on several occasions by caution flags, Newgarden was unable to mount a charge back to the race lead before taking the checkered flag.
NEWGARDEN'S THOUGHTS: "O'Ward got track position, it was a simple as that. My Astemo car was quick, and Team Chevy did a great job. Finally got a win for Team Chevy is a big deal. They should have had way more on the year, so good to finally get one."
SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN No. 3 XPEL CHEVROLET
START: 27TH
FINISH: 4TH
POINTS: 10TH (-232)
RACE RUNDOWN: Scott McLaughlin and the No. 3 XPEL Chevrolet team put on a show for the fans as he motored his way from a 27th-place starting position in Saturday's SYNK 275 presented by Sukup at Iowa Speedway to score a fourth-place finish. The New Zealand-American spun on his first of two qualifying laps on Saturday afternoon, making heavy contact with the rear of his Chevy without putting in an official lap. All three Team Penske teams pitched in to help get the car ready to race just a few hours later and it was clear early on that their hard work gave McLaughlin one of the fastest cars in the field. He was scored in the 15th position by Lap 15 and continued to climb the leaderboard through great pit stops by his XPEL crew. Following his third and final pit stop of the day on Lap 245, McLaughlin was scored inside the top five with a chance to go from last to first in a 275-lap race on a short oval. However, several stoppages of the on-track action limited his time to make his way to the front before finishing fourth, an improvement of 23 positions.
MCLAUGHLIN'S THOUGHTS: "I don't know how many people saw, but the amount of people, that not only work on the No. 3 car, but the No. 2 and the No. 12, It was just a huge team effort to get back in the race. I know I was talking to some drivers, and some teams may not have even been able to do that, so it's a proud moment for us. Proud moment for me. The car was really good. I would rip the bottom. I would rip whatever lane I wanted, So, I put a lot of trust in it. I put trust in it because the guys are so good, you know, and just really proud of everyone, and everyone on the XPEL Chevy."
WILL POWER No. 12 VERIZON CHEVROLET
START: 7TH
FINISH: 3RD
POINTS: 7TH (-223)
RACE RUNDOWN: Will Power and the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet team scored a podium finish in Saturday's SYNK 275 presented by Sukup at Iowa Speedway, crossing the finish line in the third position. Power - who won his first race at Iowa in 2024 - qualified in the seventh position in Saturday afternoon's qualifying session and he held that position through the team's first pit stop of the day under a Lap 74 caution period. Great work by the Verizon crew vaulted him to the fifth position on the restart. Power continued his methodical race toward the front as the laps progressed, eventually making a strong move around NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader, Alex Palou, for the third position on Lap 219. He would cycle back to the third position following green flag pit stops with 30 laps remaining and would stay in the tire tracks of the race leaders upon taking the checkered flag.
POWER'S THOUGHTS: "We've always had the speed. Just a very smooth day I would say. Some good racing out as the second lane came in, which is awesome. I think everyone should thank Conor Daly for bringing it in, or at least showing us how to do it. Him and Ferruci rolled that outside really well. I just watched Connor do it I'm like oh OK, so he taught me that. It was a solid day for the Verizon Chevy team, I'm really happy to have a smooth day with no problems. That's what I got and hopefully tomorrow you can go for the win."
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will reconvene at Iowa Speedway tomorrow, July 13, for the second race of the Sukup INDYCAR Race Weekend. All of the action from the Farm to Finish 275 can be seen on FOX beginning at 1:00 pm ET.