Josef Newgarden’s race hopes at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course were dashed when his rear tires locked up, causing a spin that led to a collision with Graham Rahal’s car and the wall. Newgarden expressed uncertainty whether the incident was due to a massive rear lockup or contact. Despite the setback, Newgarden hoped to continue racing, but acknowledged being out of contention.
The race also affected Rahal, Will Power, Scott McLaughlin, and Devlin DeFrancesco, with Power colliding with his teammates and DeFrancesco needing to pit for a broken wing. The incident added to Team Penske’s challenging season, as they have yet to secure a win in 2025 and entered the race with no driver ranking higher than seventh in the standings. Newgarden, in particular, has struggled, sitting in 17th place with multiple did-not-finish results before Mid-Ohio.
The race day started poorly for Team Penske, with all drivers qualifying 18th or lower. Newgarden’s only recourse now is to focus on the upcoming races and persevere through the challenges.
