The final IndyCar Wrap-Up takes us to the champions, Team Penske. The 2021 season was a big letdown for Team Penske in comparison to most seasons for the team. It won multiple times and had a driver in the championship fight, but it was a less prolific season. The 2022 season was a massive turnaround and Penske stood head and shoulders above the field.
Will Power
Eight years removed from his one and only championship, Power entered 2022 coming off his worst championship finish as a full-time Team Penske driver. After only one victory and four total podium finishes, the 41-year-old Australian had a shot at multiple milestones this season. Though still a threat, Power was never considered the top contender. We saw the best Will Power this season, and it ended with Power cementing his place in IndyCar history.
What objectively was his best race?
It is Power's only victory of the season, a victory at Belle Isle from 16th starting position after making up many positions early in the first stint on primary tires before executing a two-stop strategy and holding off a charging Alexander Rossi in the closing laps.
What subjectively was his best race?
Belle Isle was impressive and a pivotal moment in the season. It wasn't the race where Power took the championship lead and never looked back, but he had five top five finishes in the six races prior to Belle Isle. Power wasn't finding any whammies, and even when he did, he bounced back and made up for it in the next race. Power lived on the podium this season and no one could match that output, leading to a championship for Power.
Laguna Seca deserves a note because it is where Power not only claimed his second championship, but he started that race on pole position, the 68th of his career, and it put him in sole possession of first all-time in IndyCar pole positions.
What objectively was his worst race?
Power was 19th at Road America after Devlin DeFrancesco ran over Power entering turn five, setting back the Australian and making 19th the best he could have hoped for.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Power was 15th in the Indianapolis 500 and Toronto. In both races, he was just average, stuck in the middle of the field. In each race, he made up some spots early but couldn't keep up the momentum and make up anymore positions.
Will Power's 2022 Statistics
Championship Position: 1st (214 points)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 9
Top Fives: 12
Top Tens: 13
Laps Led: 335
Poles: 5
Fast Sixes: 5
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 7.6471
Average Finish: 5.9412
Championship Position: 1st (214 points)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 9
Top Fives: 12
Top Tens: 13
Laps Led: 335
Poles: 5
Fast Sixes: 5
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 7.6471
Average Finish: 5.9412
Josef Newgarden
A regular title favorite, Newgarden looked to avenge a difficult break in the 2021 season that saw him end up second in the championship for a second consecutive season.With a third championship in his sights, Newgarden looked strong from the get go, but results became a little scattered. It was either a great day or a tough day for Newgarden. It looked like the Tennessean was going to power his way through, but a few breaks didn't go his way.
What objectively was his best race?
Newgarden led IndyCar with five victories this season. It started in Texas with a breathtaking pass to the outside of Scott McLaughlin on the exit of turn four coming to the checkered flag. In the next race at Long Beach, Newgarden leaped ahead of Álex Palou in the second pit cycle and held off Romain Grosjean. At Road America, Newgarden rode in Alexander Rossi's shadow in the opening stint, but took the top spot after traffic held up Rossi during the first pit cycle and Newgarden won with relative comfort.
Newgarden led IndyCar with five victories this season. It started in Texas with a breathtaking pass to the outside of Scott McLaughlin on the exit of turn four coming to the checkered flag. In the next race at Long Beach, Newgarden leaped ahead of Álex Palou in the second pit cycle and held off Romain Grosjean. At Road America, Newgarden rode in Alexander Rossi's shadow in the opening stint, but took the top spot after traffic held up Rossi during the first pit cycle and Newgarden won with relative comfort.
In Iowa, Newgarden led 208 of 250 laps in the first race of the doubleheader weekend and took his fourth victory of the season. At Gateway, Newgarden had another incredible battle with McLaughlin, and after it appeared Newgarden lost the race in traffic, a restart after a lengthy rain delay saw Newgarden pounce and strengthen his championship hopes.
What subjectively was his best race?
It is Laguna Seca. Newgarden shot himself in the foot in qualifying, spinning in the corkscrew and stalling, causing a red flag and leaving him to start 25th. Needing the drive of his life, Newgarden picked apart the field on an aggressive strategy, and he made at least four staggering passes into the corkscrew. The pace got him up to second place, but he could not catch Álex Palou, and Power did enough to cover off Newgarden and prevent the American from claiming his third championship.
What objectively was his worst race?
Newgarden was 25th in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis after Power pushed Newgarden off the road and Jack Harvey ran into Newgarden, spinning him off course and leading to laps lost for repairs to the car.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Newgarden was 25th in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis after Power pushed Newgarden off the road and Jack Harvey ran into Newgarden, spinning him off course and leading to laps lost for repairs to the car.
What subjectively was his worst race?
When you have led 148 of 235 laps only for a right rear suspension to end your race from a leading position, that might be the worst race of your career. Newgarden looked set to sweep the Iowa weekend, take the championship lead and be the clear championship favorite with five races remaining. There were only 65 laps remaining. It was an uncharacteristic failure, especially for a Penske car.
Newgarden went from leading the championship by 11 points to trailing by 34 points with five races remaining in that one moment. He would have been 24 points ahead of Power. Instead, he was 26 points behind his teammate. The final margin in the championship was 16 points. For the second consecutive year, there is one clear moment where not only a race victory slipped from Newgarden's hands, but also a championship.
Josef Newgarden's 2022 Statistics
Championship Position: 2nd (544 points)
Wins: 5
Podiums: 6
Top Fives: 8
Top Tens: 12
Laps Led: 527
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 8
Fast Twelves: 10
Average Start: 6.6471
Average Finish: 8.1765
Championship Position: 2nd (544 points)
Wins: 5
Podiums: 6
Top Fives: 8
Top Tens: 12
Laps Led: 527
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 8
Fast Twelves: 10
Average Start: 6.6471
Average Finish: 8.1765
Scott McLaughlin
After winning Rookie of the Year, McLaughlin looked to become more competitive in his sophomore season. It was a stunning turn in performance for McLaughlin, who was only in his third season competing in any open-wheel series. With all the pressure of driving for the best team in IndyCar, McLaughlin rose to the level of a Penske driver, and the IndyCar field became a little deeper with his rise.
What objectively was his best race?
There were thee victories for McLaughlin, a stunning drive in the season opener at St. Petersburg, a more contested driver at Mid-Ohio, and a shear thrashing in Portland.
What subjectively was his best race?
There were thee victories for McLaughlin, a stunning drive in the season opener at St. Petersburg, a more contested driver at Mid-Ohio, and a shear thrashing in Portland.
What subjectively was his best race?
All three victories were brilliant. Portland was tremendous. McLaughlin led 104 of 110 laps from pole position. Nobody touched him. Nobody. He was gone from practically the drop of the green flag. That victory kept his championship hopes alive into the Laguna Seca season finale. It could have been just a good day, McLaughlin running hard, getting a good finish but ending up mathematically eliminated from the championship. With his title hopes on the line, McLaughlin completed a drive most could only dream of achieving.
The victories deserve praise, but McLaughlin's oval results should be acknowledged. He dominated Texas before Newgarden completed a brave move on the outside. He was on the podium in the second Iowa race, and at Gateway he again went at it with Newgarden, but again Newgarden came out on top while McLaughlin settled for a podium position. The man has only been running ovals for two years. He has nine oval starts to his name. He has four podium finishes and five top five finishes. McLaughlin has taken to ovals like a duck to water.
What objectively was his worst race?
It was the Indianapolis 500 where McLaughlin had an accident exiting turn three and wound up 29th. It had been a marginally good day for McLaughlin. He was stuck in the middle of the pack but was a car moving forward. He was arguably the best Penske driver in this race.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Indianapolis was bad, but I think it is the first Iowa race because a loose wheel forced an extra pit stop just before the final restart and it took him for a top five finish to a 22nd-place finish.
McLaughlin had a tough stretch in May and through the first weekend of June. Sandwiching the Indianapolis 500 was a tough day in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis when he changed to wet tires late and spun coming to a restart, and then at Belle Isle he blew turn three, and was caught in the runoff area, taking him out of the running for the top ten.
Scott McLaughlin's 2022 Statistics
Championship Position: 4th (510 points)
Wins: 3
Podiums: 7
Top Fives: 8
Top Tens: 11
Laps Led: 433
Poles: 3
Fast Sixes: 5
Fast Twelves: 11
Average Start: 6.8824
Average Finish: 8.7647
Championship Position: 4th (510 points)
Wins: 3
Podiums: 7
Top Fives: 8
Top Tens: 11
Laps Led: 433
Poles: 3
Fast Sixes: 5
Fast Twelves: 11
Average Start: 6.8824
Average Finish: 8.7647
An Early Look Ahead
Team Penske is fine.
Will Power is rejuvenated for this next part of his career. Josef Newgarden is frustrated but still quick and he isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Scott McLaughlin came to life in IndyCar and it looks like he will win many more races in his career.
Penske may win ten races, lead 1,300 laps and have three of the top five in the championship again with another championship in 2023. It is Team Penske. Complete and utter dominance is the expectation for this group.
Each driver wants to achieve more. Power has achieve the most with the team. He has two championships. He has an Indianapolis 500 victory. He has 41 career victories. Power would like a little more of everything to plump up his career. Fourth all-time in victories is within sight. He just needs two more to surpass Michael Andretti, but 50 victories is possible and if he gets to 50, he can get 53 and surpass Mario Andretti. There is plenty of motivation still out there for Power.
Newgarden has been vice-champion the last three seasons. In each one, he has a good claim as being the best driver in the series. This year likely stings more than the previous two because he won five times, probably should have had a sixth, and no one else was close to matching that output. The issue is Newgarden was either on, or just slightly off. We can look to the second Iowa race as a massive loss in points that swung the championship. He was 14th at Barber, which was a slightly off day. If he doesn't have the Grand Prix of Indianapolis from hell and finish 12th instead of 25th, that is a 13-point swing right there. Even in the case of Portland. Being caught out on the primary tires dropped him from fourth to eighth, an eight-point drop.
McLaughlin could be the best driver in the world. He dominated Supercars and has become an IndyCar race winner and championship contender in two seasons. Anymore success and he will make a great claim for himself. He very well could be champion in 2023.
The biggest motivation for Newgarden and McLaughlin is the Indianapolis 500. A Penske driver's career is not complete until he or she has won the Indianapolis 500. As Newgarden wins more races everywhere else, the lack of an Indianapolis 500 victory stands out. He is still a great driver without it. Another championship would still be a spectacular achievement, but as much as Newgarden wouldn't mind being included with the likes of Michael Andretti, Lloyd Ruby, Ted Horn and Jackie Stewart, he doesn't want to be in the group of greatest drivers to never win the Indianapolis 500.
Indianapolis is motivation for all three drivers, but it feels like the Team Penske lineup is set for most of the next decade. Power turns 42 just ahead of the 2023 season opener, but he should have another four or five seasons in him. Newgarden is still early in his prime, and it looks like McLaughlin is going to fit in for some time to come. Newgarden and McLaughlin could be the leading duo of this team for the next decade or more. After a transitional phase at the end of the 2010s, it feels like Penske is ready for the future and with the drivers set it can focus even more on winning races, a dangerous thing for the rest of the competition.
Every team can improve somewhere, but Team Penske is the only one that I think could have zero improvement and still be the class of the field. They are going to shoot for more, but really it is on someone else to step up than to expect Team Penske taking a step back.
