Newgarden focused only on defending Indy 500 win. Has moved past Penske cheating scandal
Josef Newgarden is focused only on defending his Indianapolis 500 victory
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Josef Newgarden is focused only on defending his Indianapolis 500 victory. If the recent Team Penske cheating scandal has stained his reputation, the two-time IndyCar champion doesn't really care.
It was business as usual for Newgarden on Tuesday's opening day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where all-day rain kept him off track for all but a single lap. With idle time came chatter about Newgarden's standing in the IndyCar paddock and if he's damaged his credibility among his peers.
“I'd ask him. I don't think he's said a word to anybody,” rival driver Graham Rahal said.
Newgarden set an entirely different scene and insisted everything has felt rather normal over the three weeks since IndyCar stripped him of his season-opening victory for illegally using the push-to-pass system during restarts, when the boost of horsepower is banned.
