Josef Newgarden’s challenging 2025 IndyCar season took another hit on Sunday, June 22, when he crashed during the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America. The Team Penske driver went off the track on lap 30 of 55 after losing control in Turn 14, a spot that had troubled several drivers throughout the weekend.
The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner’s car spun after the rear lost traction on the exit curb, sending him into the tire barriers on the right side. The impact heavily damaged the left rear of his No. 2 Chevy, destroying the rear wing and breaking the steering arm. Fortunately, the crash happened close to pit road, allowing Newgarden to guide his backup car to his team for immediate repairs.
Race Incidents and Newgarden’s Earlier Difficulties During the Weekend
Turn 14 proved particularly tricky, having caused trouble for drivers such as Scott McLaughlin and Santino Ferrucci during practice. Earlier in the race, Newgarden had a tense moment while trying to pass teammate McLaughlin; both drivers ran off track, allowing Alex Palou to move into ninth place unhindered.
This crash at Road America followed Newgarden’s heartbreak the previous weekend at the Bommarito Automotive Group 500. Leading at World Wide Technology Raceway, he collided with a spinning Louis Foster, ending his hopes there as well. His run of misfortunes this 2025 season has left him struggling for consistency and results.
The XPEL Grand Prix itself was interrupted by multiple caution periods from the outset. On the first lap, David Malukas and Christian Lundgaard collided, damaging Malukas’s car nose. Shortly after, Robert Shwartzman crashed in Canada Corner, and Sting Ray Robb lost control trying to avoid Marcus Armstrong, contributing to a start filled with accidents and setbacks for several competitors.
How Newgarden Earned a Second Chance in Road America Qualifying
Josef Newgarden’s difficulties began as early as qualifying on Saturday, June 21. In Round 1 of the Road America qualifying, his lap time of 1:44.9876 placed him seventh in Group 1, missing the crucial Top 6 cutoff needed to advance automatically to the Fast 12 round. However, Newgarden was given a reprieve when Scott Dixon received a penalty for impeding Devlin DeFrancesco near the end of the session in Turns 11 and 12.
Following the penalty, IndyCar officials moved Dixon to the back of the fifteen-driver group, promoting Newgarden from seventh to sixth place in the standings. Despite this second chance, Newgarden was unable to capitalize during Round 2; his best lap of 1:45.2834 only earned him a tenth-place position out of twelve drivers fighting for grid spots.
The Broader Consequences of Newgarden’s Road America Setbacks
Josef Newgarden’s repeated incidents at both Road America and recent races exacerbate the pressure on the Team Penske driver during this 2025 IndyCar season. Each crash and mistake reduces his chances to climb back into championship contention. With rising challenges from younger drivers such as Alex Palou and others involved in the weekend’s multiple crashes, the margin for error grows ever thinner.
The difficulties at a demanding circuit like Road America highlight the ongoing struggles Newgarden faces to regain the form that made him a two-time Indy 500 winner and series champion. How he and Team Penske respond in the upcoming races will be crucial to reversing this troubling trajectory before the season progresses further.