Tom Stahler - Motorsports Journal: The time of day here in the Phoenix
valley, this is the time of day where you really do see a significant shift
in temperature. Obviously it played into your hands even starting later in
the qualifying session, but a lot of other people I think faltered because
the guys earlier had cooler temperatures. How do you feel about the time of
day you were qualifying, and what did you do differently?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Yeah, we were sort of on the back end of it, right? We
were, what, 19th or something to go out.
It depends on where you're at. It's a good question. Indianapolis you always
want to be first out when the track is the coldest, and you don't want the
temperature to build. I think that's somewhat true here. A colder track is
typically a faster track, more grip.
I don't think you had a ton of shift. I think just -- I think in general
qualifying was a higher track temperature than we had seen the last multiple
sessions we had been here. It's the first time everybody really experienced
that.
I think at the very end of qualifying, in particular, you saw a lot of
drop-off on that second lap for most people, including myself. Compared to
the very beginning, that probably got a little bit worse, where you just
weren't as consistent on the second lap time.
Mick, for instance, was the first out. He was super consistent both laps,
and then the last guy to go, you just saw that drop-off in the second lap. I
think that was the difference today.
But I think for where we were, I think we made the most of it.
ENDS
For Newgarden, starting second aligns perfectly with his history at Phoenix.
He remains the defending winner here from 2018—the last time the series
visited before this 2026 revival. That victory stands as a benchmark for oval
mastery, and his front-row lock today positions him ideally for tomorrow's
250-lap battle on March 7 (3 p.m. ET on FOX). The Nashville native's
consistency on ovals has long been a hallmark of his career, boasting 32 wins
(the most among active American drivers), and this result underscores Team
Penske's strength on the high-banked tri-oval despite challenges elsewhere in
the field.
Drama wasn't absent: Teammate Will Power suffered a hard crash during
his qualifying attempt, adding tension to the Penske camp. Yet Newgarden's
smooth, flat-out run kept the Chevrolet momentum rolling. Behind the front
row, Graham Rahal slotted into third at 173.993 mph, with Mick Schumacher
showing strong form in his first oval qualifying session at 173.667 mph for
fourth - another highlight in a day full of surprises.
As the
series dusts off this classic venue after an eight-year hiatus, Newgarden's
P2 start sets the stage for what could be a dominant Penske performance in
the Good Ranchers 250. With his pedigree on ovals and a front-row perch, the
question isn't if he'll contend ... it's how far he'll push for another
Phoenix triumph. The green flag drops tomorrow, and the "oval king" is ready
to reignite the desert.
... notes from
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#TeamPenske, #DavidMalukas, #OvalKing, #QualifyingResults,
#NTTIndyCarSeries, #MotorsportsJournal, #TomStahler, #TheEDJE
