Newgarden pulls away for Road America victory
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Josef Newgarden put in a lot of work to make his win at Road America look easy.
With no caution flags all afternoon to slow him down, the pole-sitting Newgarden finally pulled away late from Ryan Hunter-Reay for a comfortable victory.
Newgarden led 53 of 55 laps, crossing the finish line with a 3.38-second cushion over second-place finisher HunterReay for his third win of the season.
“We had our work cut out for us today,” Newgarden said. “We had to be perfect.”
The defending series champion savored the victory in the 222-mile-long Kohler Grand Prix on his cool-down lap, taking in the crowd at the rural Wisconsin road course. Newgarden has such a devoted following here that fans planted a garden in his honor in time for this weekend’s race.
“These people have a professional garden set up with little ‘Baby Josefs’ growing,” Newgarden said with a smile. “It was kind of cool.”
The victory might have been more satisfying. It completed an impressive weekend for the Team Penske driver at the 14-turn track, where Newgarden’s No. 1 Chevy registered the top speed in practice.
Points leader Scott Dixon finished third. He was part of the three-car pack led by Newgarden that separated from the field with about 13 laps left.
They couldn’t catch Newgarden. He returned to the podium following a fiverace stretch finishing no higher than eighth.
Formula 1
LE CASTELLET, France – Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the French Grand Prix from pole position to retake the lead of the Formula One title race on Sunday.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen in his Ferrari crossed second and third to complete the podium at the Paul Ricard Circuit.
Defending champion Hamilton was never challenged after he reached the first corner a split second before erstwhile leader Sebastian Vettel knocked into Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Vettel needed a new front wing for his Ferrari and had to work his way from the back of the pack to settle for a fifth-place finish behind Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.
Hamilton has 145 points after eight races. Vettel, who entered the race with a one-point lead, leaves trailing by 14.
It was Hamilton’s 65th career win and his third of the season. Only Michael Schumacher has more victories with 91.