P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The first race of the Iowa double-header took place on Saturday afternoon, with Josef Newgarden leading the field away from green. Newgarden led nearly all of the first portion of the race, and looked untouchable as the race passed the halfway point. Unfortunately for the two-time champion, he lost position on the final pit stop […]
The first race of the Iowa double-header saw Josef Newgarden leading the field on Saturday afternoon.
Newgarden dominated the race until losing position during the final pit stop sequence.
Pato O’Ward took advantage of the situation and secured his first win in nearly a year, moving into second place in the points standings.
Scott McLaughlin’s impressive drive from last to fourth highlighted the day, while Alex Palou finished fifth to remain a championship contender.
With Team Penske drivers finishing in the top four, the team finally got the solid result they were aiming for.
The race had some incidents that interrupted the action, including Colton Herta spinning at the start and late crashes by Jacob Abel, Kyle Kirkwood, and Nolan Siegel.
Despite the relative lack of excitement in the first half, the track eventually allowed for side-by-side racing towards the end of the event.
