It was an early end to the GMR Grand Prix for Josef Newgarden.
The two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion was battling at the back end of the top 10 when he became a pinball among his rivals on Lap 17 of 85. The incident began after he and Takuma Sato were racing close, with the former getting by and leaving Newgarden in the clutches of Alexander Rossi.
Newgarden and Rossi made significant contact, which brought Jack Harvey into the mix entering Turn 12. The tight racing led to Harvey’s No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda making left-front to right-rear contact with the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet of Newgarden, sending him into a spin before coming to a stop. The damage was significant enough for Newgarden, who came into the weekend third in the championship standings, to climb from the car and become the first retirement in the 27-car field.
Josef Newgarden's day ends early at @IMS.
Contact with Alexander Rossi and Jack Harvey sends the two-time winner this year for a spin. #INDYCAR
? : @NBC and @PeacockTV pic.twitter.com/Ag8ZWFjgZD
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 14, 2022
