NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race Report - Road America

June 21, 2021

Track: Road America
Race: REV Group Grand Prix
Date: June 20, 2021

No. 2 Hitachi Dallara/Chevrolet – Josef Newgarden
Start: 1st – 13th-career NTT INDYCAR SERIES P1 Award
Finish: 21st
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 55/55
Laps Led: 32
Points Position: 4th (-88 pts)

Notes:

For the second-straight week, Josef Newgarden and the No. 2 Hitachi Chevrolet team led the most laps in the race and put themselves in position for a hard-earned win in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES – this time at the challenging Road America circuit – before a mechanical issue with two laps remaining foiled the efforts. The two-time Champion finished 21st.
Newgarden showed throughout the weekend that the race win was going to go through the No. 2 team. His fast time in the Saturday morning practice session was backed up by his second NTT P1 Award in as many weeks.
After starting the race on the Firestone secondary tires, Newgarden gradually built up a sizeable lead throughout his only stint on the "red" sidewall tires, despite an early indication that something may be amiss with his shifting. Race strategist Tim Cindric eventually called his driver down pit road for Firestone primary tires and fuel on Lap 14.
Three caution periods in the first 51 laps of Sunday's race led to varying fuel strategies, but as the final pit stops cycled through with four laps remaining, Newgarden was still out in front. A fourth caution was displayed with only four laps remaining, and when the race resumed the No. 2 Hitachi Chevrolet would not shift into sixth gear. This led to Newgarden quickly losing the lead in Turn 1 and relegated the team to a 21st-place finish.

Quote: "I couldn't get it to shift into sixth gear. And then I got it stuck in fifth in turn one and finally got it to go down, but just could not get it to upshift after that. So I got it down to first essentially. Just trying to stay out of the way after that because I couldn't get it to upshift after that. I'm not sure what happened. Obviously it's disappointing for all of us. I know we had a great car. We had a good car all day and were doing everything we had to do. We were surviving the yellows. Surviving the fuel game. We had a rocket ship. Team Chevy did a good job for us. We had such amazing fuel mileage and good power. Super pleased about that. Proud of our teams. Proud of our partners. I guess it just wasn't meant to be again. I think we have fast cars, it's just not working out right now. But now we will claw. We will claw our way back. This is not what I was planning for this day. I would have liked for us to be a little closer. But what are we 88 (points back)? Just a bigger challenge when we go to next race. We'll get after it."

No. 3 PPG Dallara/Chevrolet – Scott McLaughlin
Start: 17th
Finish: 14th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 55/55
Laps Led: 0
Points Position: 12th (-169 pts)

Notes:

It was another weekend of growth and learning for Scott McLaughlin and the No. 3 PPG Chevy team, where the INDYCAR SERIES rookie spent the majority of the race trying to break into the top-10, ultimately finishing 14th.
After starting 17th and using knowledge from an earlier test at Road America, the opening laps saw McLaughlin gain two positions to 16th before coming in service for the first scheduled stop of the race. Fighting loose conditions, the No. 3 PPG Chevy took black Firestone tires, fuel and a wing adjustment on the opening two stops of the day. With the changes and quick service by the team, McLaughlin was able to move up to 13th just over halfway through the race.
Reporting that the car was neutral, McLaughlin was up to 12th with his sights set on the top-10 before coming down pit road for the final stop of the day. Taking tires, fuel and no adjustments, the colorful PPG Chevy surged from 19th to 16th when the last caution of the day fell.
Between pit cycles and the restart, McLaughlin was able to jump into the top-15 for a 14th-place finish.
Still leading the IndyCar Rookie of the Year standings, McLaughlin looks to continue building on the knowledge he's gained this season when he crosses another new track at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 4th weekend.

Quote: "We had potential to finish 11th or 12th today and we finished 14th. It definitely was an up-and-down race but I'm feeling pretty strong. I need to get my positioning better as a driver and position myself better for moves or to defend, but I'm learning all of that as experience comes. It was not a bad day for the PPG Chevy."

No. 12 Verizon 5G Dallara/Chevrolet – Will Power
Start: 4th
Finish: 3rd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 55/55
Laps Led: 0
Points Position: 11th (-145)

Notes:

Will Power and the No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevy had a weekend of redemption after a strong qualifying effort on Saturday led to the team's second podium finish of the season, finishing third on Sunday at Road America.
Starting from the fourth position on red Firestone tires, an opening lap battle put Power to fifth where he quietly stayed until the first round of pit stops. Working against tire degradation, the No. 12 Verizon 5G crew switched Power's Chevy to black Firestones and no adjustments on the first stop. From there, the INDYCAR veteran was able to charge into the third position 16 laps into the race.
After another stop just under halfway, Power was running fifth while working on saving fuel without losing position. Opting not to pit under a caution, the matte black Chevy instead came down a few laps later under green on lap 41 for the team's final stop of the day. Power was back into the fifth position with seven laps to go once pit stops began to cycle through.
The remaining laps would bring another caution and late restart, where Power capitalized to move forward and hold his position to finish third.

Quote: "Certainly, just qualifying well this weekend has got my bit of confidence back. I struggled this year, funny enough. It's usually my forte. But I'm really, really happy. I thought this morning if I can get a podium, I'll be really stoked, and I ended up getting one. So, keep trucking away here. Man, I would love to get a win here soon. I know we've got the team to do it. We have a really good strategists, engineer, and group of guys on the car. Let's see if we can get that Verizon 5G Chevy in Victory Lane here in the next few races."

No. 22 Menards Dallara/Chevrolet – Simon Pagenaud
Start: 6th
Finish: 18th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 55/55
Laps Led: 0
Points Position: 5th (-94)

Notes:

Simon Pagenaud and No. 22 Menards Chevrolet team struggled with pace throughout Sunday's REV Group Grand Prix at Road America, finishing at disappointing 18th after a strong qualifying effort that saw him place in the Firestone Fast Six in qualifying on Saturday.
Like the rest of his Team Penske teammates, Pagenaud and the No. 22 Menards Chevy team began the race on the Firestone alternate "red" tires. As the field barreled down into the treacherous first corner at Road America, the Frenchman gave up several positions before settling into the 10th position.
Pagenaud continued to keep his crew updated on his pace issues throughout the entirety of the race, eventually calling for a front wing adjustment to try and help his straightaway speed around the massive 4.014 circuit.
Unfortunately, nothing was able to cure the ills of the Menards Chevy despite the best efforts of Pagenaud and the team. The former series champion crossed the finish line in the 18th position, but was able to pick up one position in the point standings.

Quote: "We've got to take a look at what happened today. We had no pace on the straightaway and just had no pace all race, just kind of a disaster race for us because we had so much speed all weekend. We just need to figure it out. It was very disappointing for Menards. I really wanted to have a good showing, especially after such great qualifying for Team Penske. I'm really sorry for the 2 team and Hitachi as well. But we'll regroup, try to understand what happened on our side of the issue. The good news is that we have speed now in qualifying so that's really good for the rest of the season."