Josef Newgarden charged from 10th on fresh tires to beat Kyle Kirkwood at Phoenix, earning his 33rd IndyCar victory and the series lead.
Newgarden converts fresh tires into victory
Josef Newgarden surged from 10th on a late restart to win the 2026 Grand Prix of Phoenix, turning a final-caution tire gamble into a commanding victory for Team Penske and Chevrolet.
The two-time IndyCar champion chased down Kyle Kirkwood and completed the winning pass with seven laps left in the 250-lap race. Newgarden then pulled away, taking the checkered flag 1.7937 seconds ahead of the Andretti Global driver.
It was Newgarden’s first victory of the season, his 33rd in IndyCar and his second consecutive series win after the 2025 finale at Nashville Superspeedway. Newgarden needed 17 races to secure his only victory last season. In 2026, he reached the top step after two rounds.
Newgarden started second, though his chances faded during the middle phase of an unpredictable race. The final caution reset the contest. Team Penske put fresh tires on the No. 2 Chevrolet, providing the grip Newgarden needed to slice through traffic after the restart.
“We took tires, and the thing was like a rocket ship when it needed to be, right at the end of the race. Hats off to the whole crew. I’m pumped.”
Power-Rasmussen contact changes the finish
The decisive caution came after Will Power and Christian Rasmussen made contact while fighting at the front. Rasmussen had been at the center of the action, completing dozens of passes and taking the lead with an overtake on lap 191.
Power moved ahead six laps later after another round of pit stops. The fight intensified, and the cars touched while exiting Turn 2 on lap 206. Rasmussen’s left-front wing end plate hit Power’s right-rear tire, causing a puncture for Power and leaving Rasmussen with damage.
That incident brought out the final caution and created the strategic opportunity Newgarden used. Rasmussen stayed on track despite concerns over his car, while Newgarden joined the drivers who stopped for fresh rubber.
Kirkwood then passed the wounded Rasmussen for the lead, but Newgarden posed the bigger threat with his tire advantage. Restarting 10th, the Penske driver quickly worked through the field, caught Kirkwood and made the decisive pass with seven laps remaining. Rasmussen dropped to 14th in the final classification, while Power finished 16th.
Kirkwood denied as Penske claims two podium spots
Kirkwood finished second to cap a strong afternoon for Andretti Global, although the timing of Newgarden’s late attack gave him no response. The No. 27 car made its final stop on lap 192 and became the leading contender once the Power-Rasmussen fight came apart.
David Malukas took third from pole position in the No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet. The result put two Roger Penske cars on the podium during the team’s 60th anniversary season and confirmed its pace on IndyCar’s return to Phoenix.
Pato O’Ward finished fourth in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, 3.9318 seconds behind Newgarden. Marcus Armstrong rounded out the top five for Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian in the No. 66 Honda.
Alexander Rossi placed sixth for Ed Carpenter Racing, with Scott Dixon seventh and Newgarden’s Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin eighth. Graham Rahal and Kyffin Simpson filled the remaining top-10 positions, and all 10 drivers finished on the lead lap.
Palou’s race ends after 22 laps
Defending series champion and St. Petersburg winner Alex Palou had a very different afternoon. Graham Rahal passed him for third after a restart on lap 10, before Palou became involved in an incident with Rinus VeeKay.
VeeKay tried to pass around the outside through the dogleg, but the cars made contact. Palou was out after 22 laps in his 100th IndyCar start, stopping him from adding to his season-opening victory.
A long green-flag run followed until Louis Foster struck the wall on lap 142, bringing out the second caution. Kirkwood cycled into the lead when Rasmussen and Dixon pitted, then controlled the lap 155 restart on tires that were 25 laps older, with teammate Power next to him.
Rasmussen’s charge, the later pit cycle and his contact with Power kept the result in doubt through the closing stages.
Phoenix return produces record passing
IndyCar’s first event at Phoenix Raceway since 2018 featured 565 on-track passes, setting a series record for the one-mile desert oval. Tire performance and pit sequencing repeatedly changed the running order, while heavy traffic created openings for drivers using different strategies.
Newgarden and Team Penske also won IndyCar’s previous Phoenix race in 2018. Eight years later, an aggressive final stop and clean execution brought the pairing another victory at the circuit.
The win also sent Newgarden to the top of the series standings after two rounds. Palou’s failure to finish, combined with heavy points hauls for Kirkwood, Malukas and O’Ward, reshuffled the early championship order at Phoenix.
What comes next
IndyCar next heads from Phoenix’s one-mile oval to the Streets of Arlington, scheduled for March 13-15. The switch will require a different technical and strategic approach, with Newgarden carrying the championship lead and fresh momentum into the event.
Team Penske left Phoenix with two podium finishers after a race that stayed open deep into the final stint. Kirkwood collected a valuable second place after leading late. Rasmussen and Power were left to reflect on a lost opportunity in the closing laps.
Newgarden took full advantage. The fresh tires delivered the pace, while his charge from 10th and winning pass converted Penske’s strategic decision into victory.
