Pato O’Ward storms to IndyCar Iowa win, denying ...

Josef Newgarden was nonetheless totally dominant and Group Penske lastly flexed its muscle tissues on Saturday at Iowa Speedway. However when it counted most, it was a distinct driver and staff that broke via for his or her first win of 2025.

Pato O’Ward and Arrow McLaren snatched the lead away from Newgarden with an overcut on the ultimate spherical of pit stops and the Mexican star withstood a fierce late problem from Newgarden to assert the Sukup 275. It was O’Ward’s eighth-career win in his a hundredth begin and the primary for any Chevrolet driver in 2025, ending a stretch of dominance from Honda.

“That is nice,” O’Ward mentioned. “We’ve been ready for this one all 12 months. It’s loopy. My fiftieth race was additionally a win right here in Iowa, and that’s the one different win I’ve right here, so it’s a cool story.

“Nice job by my Arrow McLaren guys and gals. This Chevy-powered machine was (nice). … I’m tremendous comfortable I’m the Chevy man that gave them their first win this 12 months.”

Earlier than the ultimate spherical of pit stops, it appeared like Newgarden’s race to lose. The 2-time Indianapolis 500 winner claimed pole and led 232 of Saturday’s 275 laps.

However when his staff introduced him to pit highway on lap 233, O’Ward and others stayed out.

They got here in two laps later and O’Ward cycled out forward of Newgarden. The Tennessean hounded O’Ward over the run to the checkered, as two late cautions closed the sphere and caused restarts. However the 26-year-old withstood the strain to safe a superb victory.

Begin of the IndyCar Synk 275 powered by Sukup at Iowa Speedway

Picture by: Penske Leisure / Chris Owens

Saturday’s end result was the tenth 1-2 end for the pair, with Newgarden claiming seven wins and O’Ward now prevailing thrice.

“Josef’s the grasp at these races,” O’Ward mentioned. “He guidelines round right here. So I knew that we needed to be spot-on and I needed to be so exact on the in-laps to beat him at his personal sport.

Newgarden fell .2352s shy of O’Ward because the checkered flag flew. “O’Ward bought observe place there and it was sport over,” he mentioned. “Easy as that.”

It was all Group Penske in O’Ward’s mirror, with Will Power finishing the rostrum in third and Scott McLaughlin mounting a fierce cost from twenty seventh to complete fourth. Alex Palou wrapped up the top-five to maintain his championship benefit comfortably intact.

Christian Rasmussen, Conor Daly, Santino Ferrucci, Marcus Armstrong and Scott Dixon wrapped up the highest 10.

Saturday’s race was predictably busy, with the difficult Iowa observe catching drivers out as they pushed to make beneficial properties on a day when passing proved tough.

The primary warning got here proper at the beginning of the race, when Colton Herta spun via the infield grass. Jacob Abel crashed on lap 75, Kyle Kirkwood bought into the flip 2 wall on lap 153 and each Nolan Siegel and Callum Ilott suffered shunts within the last stint. 5 of the race’s 27 drivers did not make the end and solely 15 made it to the checkered flag on the lead lap.

Of all of them, none stood taller than O’Ward. Now he’ll come again on Sunday and attempt to repeat the success.
“We’ve one other likelihood tomorrow,” O’Ward mentioned. “It’d be candy to double up.”

The IndyCar subject will go reside from Iowa on FOX once more Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET for the Farm to End 275.

Images from IOWA – Qualifying & Race 1