INDYCAR is switching gears this weekend, heading to the tricky concrete superspeedway oval just outside Nashville, and for good reason, everyone's eyes are locked on one guy: Josef Newgarden. Team Penske's main man has absolutely owned ovals recently. His last 11 INDYCAR wins? Every single one of them was on an oval track. Think about that for a second.
The Oval Streak That Just Won't Quit
This isn't just a hot streak, it's a masterclass in progress. Newgarden already grabbed two oval victories this season, first at Phoenix Raceway, then again at Gateway, also known as World Wide Technology Raceway. It's wild because McLaren has been crushing the road course races lately, with Christian Lungaard and Pato O’Ward each getting a win. But when it comes to ovals, Newgarden is simply playing a different game. You gotta go back to Road America in 2022 for his last non-oval win, not even counting that St. Petersburg 2024 race where he crossed the finish line first but got DQ’d. In the span of those 11 oval wins, there have only been 27 oval races total. That means Newgarden is hitting a win rate higher than 40% on ovals. That is just straight-up astounding in what's supposed to be the most competitive era of the sport. This dude's oval prowess showed up super early, even with strong showings at the Indy 500 during his rookie season. He snagged his first of many wins at Iowa Speedway back in 2015, and honestly, that checkered flag just opened the floodgates for him on ovals.What Makes Newgarden So Unstoppable On Ovals
It's super interesting how different the skills need to be for success on ovals compared to street courses or road courses, even with the same cars every week. Oval racing requires a feel for the car, an understanding of what it wants, that's just unique. Speeds on ovals are way higher, so your inputs have to be tiny. Picture this: if you swerve your regular car at 10 miles an hour, it's no big deal. Do that same move at 70 miles an hour, and you're rolling into a ditch. That's the INDYCAR reality. At these insane speeds, you have to totally recalibrate your senses to pick up the smallest, most subtle feedback from the car. You gotta crank up your sensitivity to what the car is telling you, and then pull way back on how hard you react. It's not easy, it's not natural. It's a talent that Josef has refined to perfection. He’s got this uncanny ability to feel what his race car is saying, combine that with an astute understanding of what the car needs to be fast, and it makes him almost unstoppable. Another massive piece of the puzzle is trusting the car. Josef is flying a machine built by some of the absolute best in the business. He and his engineers work tirelessly perfecting the setup, and when he straps in on Sunday, he’s got complete faith in that work. So, as INDYCAR rolls into Nashville this weekend, all eyes are on Josef Newgarden to see if he can extend that insane oval streak. Can he keep that 40% win rate roaring? You know we'll be watching!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.