Joseph Newgarden wanted to thank the pet service for helping him adopt his 14kg mute, Axel, which has become part of his family.
Tim Pensk’s driver repaid the asylum – literally – with his performance behind the wheel.
Newgarden earned a $ 1.42 million bonus ($ 1 million USD) for winning at Road America on Monday morning (AEST), where its third season win completed a trifle of wins across IndyCar’s various circuits. This means, among other things, that the Nashville section of Waggs & Wax could create a new dog adoption center.
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“They deal with all kinds of dogs – all kinds,” Newgarden said. “You should hear these heartbreaking stories that these guys go looking for these dog houses. We’re glad we got some money from this group because they did a lot for us and a lot of people in Nashville. “
Newgarden has won street courses at the Oval and Long Beach in Texas this season, and the road is heading to America to win a road course that will make him the first Indica driver to win all three circuits this season.
The prize was a $ 1.42 million payout from The PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge, which split the bonus between Tim Pensk and Newgarden’s favorite charity. American Wags and Walks of Nashville and Siriasfan Children’s Network.
“Getting something like this challenge, I think, will raise you more competitively,” Newgarden said. “You want to do it for them.”
The heads of both charities attended a post-race press conference in Newgarden via Zoom to thank the driver.
“We’re absolutely thrilled,” said Katherine Hurley of Waggs & Wax. “It will literally affect thousands of dogs in Nashville here and allow us to create an amazing adoption center.”
It was the first year of the challenge and Indica won before the halfway point of the season; Newgarden is the only driver with multiple wins in eight of the 17 races.
Newgarden Indianapolis 500 winner Chip defeated Marcus Erickson of Gansi Racing by 3.371-seconds after two late restarts, but Ericsson regained a point lead with a runner-up finish.
The point lead has changed for the seventh time this season.
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“I think it’s going to be a tough season, a long season, but we’re in a really good position now with this kind of second half,” Erickson said. “We have to do what we’re doing.”
Alexander Rossi, the Andretti autosport driver who started at the pole in search of his first win in three years, was third and was followed by teammates Roman Grosszin and Colton Harta.
Chevrolet won the race with Newgarden, but Honda took the next four places. Arrow McLaren was sixth and seventh for SP Felix Rosenkovist and Pensk’s Scott McLaughlin Chevy.
Newgarden had a 2.8-second lead over Rossi when Pato O’Word’s engine failed and there were six laps left to set up the first late restart. Helio Castronves then turned for another warning.
Newgarden made a great jump on the ropes in both cases of late restarts and never had to look back.
Rossi filled his hands first with Ericsson and then with his own teammates, as the streak of his rate extended to 45 races. His pole-winning race on Saturday was his first in three years.
“It’s always a bit frustrating when you start at the pole and can’t convert, but it was usually a good day,” Rossi said. “I think Joseph’s speed was a bit better than ours. I think we were the second best car. I got quite aggressive at the restart there and tried to do something and got a bit overstopped. That’s what let Marcus go.”
Newgarden Road won for the second time in America, as he also won here in 2018. A year ago he went on to win until his gearbox failed in the closing lap and it handed the victory to Indica champion Alex Palo.
“I didn’t think about it (last year),” Newgarden said. “It simply came to our notice then. The thing I focus on is that we are in position. You do not have the permission required to post. I just wanted to stop. “
The title rivals struggle
Palo’s chances of securing last year’s victory almost immediately disappeared due to an early feud with Gana’s teammate Ericsson. When Ericsson moves to the inside of Palo, the right rear of the Swedish car makes contact with the left of the front of Palo and the Spaniard leaves.
“He was trying to win the race on the third lap,” Palo said. “The car broke down. That’s it. The game is over.”
Erickson said he made no mistake.
“It may be early in the race, but it’s a track position race,” Erickson said. “If you get a chance, you have to go for it. There was nothing wrong with that move. ”
Will Power, meanwhile, has been dropped from the Indicar points lead due to his own early incidents. A poor attempt at the qualifiers put Power in 15th place at the start and he was hit from behind with just eight laps in the run. Power lasts until the 19th.
DeFrancesco received a stop-and-go penalty for making avoidable contact. Power dropped to second place in the standings, 27 points behind Ericsson.
O’Word’s engine failure dropped him from third to fourth in the standings; Palu dropped from fourth to fifth place. Meanwhile, Newgarden’s victory took him from fifth to third place.
Jimmy’s Early Spin
Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmy Johnson had a frustrating day with contact with Tatiana Calderon behind the pack in the first lap. Johnson closed the course to get a full-course yellow out. He finished 24th.
Calderon was on the field with Simona de Silvestro, and de Silvestro and Pippa Mann included two female drivers in an Indica event for the first time since entering the 2015 Indianapolis 500.
Cost costs
Not all of Newgarden’s bonus money goes to charity. He himself gets several payouts and he is not sure how he will spend it.
But she has a good idea about her first purchase.
“Probably a bunch of McDonald’s,” Newgarden said. “Probably more than 100 at McDonald’s.”
Coming next
Indica has a two-week break in its schedule ahead of the July 3 race in Mid-Ohio, Lexington, Ohio. Joseph Newgarden won in Mid-Ohio last year.
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