Josef Newgarden

Josef Nicolai Newgarden was born on December 22, 1990, in the USA and began his motorsport career at age 13 in karting. Between 2005 and 2006, he secured four championship titles before switching to single-seater racing in 2006, competing in the Skip Barber Racing School Series. After a second-place finish in the regional championship in 2006, he followed with sixth and second-place finishes in the national series in 2007 and 2008. In 2008, he won the Formula Ford Festival for Team USA in England, becoming the first American driver to win this prestigious event.

In 2009, Newgarden moved to England to continue his European career. In the British Formula Ford Championship, he finished as vice-champion with nine wins and also won two races in Formula Palmer Audi. In 2010, he switched to the GP3 Series with Carlin and secured a pole position. In 2011, he returned to the USA and dominated the Indy Lights Series for Sam Schmidt Motorsports with five wins and ten podium finishes from fourteen races, clinching the title early. In 2012, he advanced to the IndyCar Series; he celebrated his first win in 2015 at Barber Motorsports Park, shortly followed by a victory in Toronto. In 2016, he set a series record in Iowa by leading 282 of 300 laps.

In 2017, Newgarden joined Team Penske and won in his third race for the team. With four wins and nine podiums, he secured his first IndyCar championship that same year. In 2019, he claimed his second championship title with four wins and seven podium finishes. Among his greatest career achievements are his two victories at the Indianapolis 500 in 2023 and 2024, making him the first driver since Hélio Castroneves to win the legendary race in consecutive years. In 2024, he completed a rare career milestone by winning overall at the 24 Hours of Daytona in the Porsche Penske Motorsport GTP car.

Heading into the 2026 season, Newgarden continues as a full-time driver for Team Penske in the IndyCar Series. After years at the top of the field, he remains one of the most promising title contenders this season and aims to build on his previous years’ successes. With his experience from two championships and the momentum from his recent Indy 500 victories, he remains one of the most prominent names in the Team Penske lineup.