CHEVROLET NTT INDYCAR SERIES – STREETS OF LONG BEACH-LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX-JOSEF NEWGARDEN PUTS CHEVY ON POLE AT LONG BEACH

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
STREETS OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
QUALIFYING RECAP-NEWGARDEN PUTS CHEVY ON POLE
SEPT. 25, 2021

JOSEF NEWGARDEN PUTS CHEVY ON POLE AT LONG BEACH
O’WARD AND NEWGARDEN TO BATTLE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP ON SUNDAY

LONG BEACH, CALIF (Sept 25,2021) – Two-time NTT INDYCAR Series champion Josef Newgarden came into the season’s final weekend knowing exactly what he had to do to keep his championship hopes alive sitting third in the standings 45 points down to the leader.

So far the driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet is one-for-one. He progressed to the Firestone Fast Six and turned that into the pole with a lap of 1 minute 08.22411 seconds/103.846 mph.

For the fourth time this season and 15th time in his career, he will lead the field to the green flag and add another NTT P1 Award to his trophy case. With today’s pole, Newgarden stays in contention for the season-long NTT P1 Award.

Team Chevy drivers Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet, and Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet joined Newgarden in the final round of knock-out qualifying. They will start Sunday’s race fourth and fifth respectively.

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, who came to Long Beach second in points, 35 points behind leader Alex Palou will start eighth tomorrow. Palou will roll off 10th.

Rookie-of-the-year contender Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, qualified 13th for the season finale.

Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves and Romain Grojean made up the remainder of the Firestone Fast Six, and will start second, third and sixth respectively.

NBCSN will telecast the 85-lap/167-mile race on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit in Long Beach, California at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 26. The race will be broadcast live on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com, and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA.

TEAM CHEVY DRIVER STARTING POSITIONS:
No. 2 Josef Newgarden, Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, Qualified POLE
No. 22 Simon Pagenaud, Menards Team Penske Chevrolet, Qualified 4th
No. 7 Felix Rosenqvist, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Qualified 5th
No. 5 Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, Qualified 8th
No.12 Will Power, Verizon5G Team Penske Chevrolet, Qualified 12th
No. 3 Scott McLaughlin, PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, Qualified 13th
No. 77 Callum Ilott, Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, Qualified 18th
No. 20 Conor Daly, U.S. Air Force Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, Qualified 21st
No. 14 Sebastien Bourdais, ROKIT AJ Foyt Chevrolet, Qualified 22nd
No. 59 Max Chilton, Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet, Qualified 23rd
No. 21 Rinus VeeKay, Sonax/AutoGeek Ed Carpenter Chevrolet, Qualified 24th
No. 4 Dalton Kellett, K-Line AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet, Qualified 26th