O’Ward Fights Off Newgarden to Win Synk 275 and Celebrate 100th INDYCAR Start
Pato O’Ward capped his 100th career NTT INDYCAR SERIES start with a statement victory at Iowa Speedway, denying Josef Newgarden a record-extending seventh win at the short oval in a tense late-race showdown.
Newgarden led 232 of the opening 250 laps in Saturday’s Synk 275, presented by Sukup, from pole and looked set to add another Iowa trophy to his collection. But a perfectly timed final pit stop from O’Ward, combined with rapid in-lap precision, allowed the Arrow McLaren driver to leapfrog the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet and take control of the closing stages.
A red flag with 15 laps remaining, triggered by a heavy crash for Nolan Siegel in Turn 4, brought the race to a dramatic halt. When the SAFER Barrier was repaired and the race resumed, O’Ward made two ice-cold restarts on Lap 262 and again on Lap 267 to hold off Newgarden and secure his first win of 2025.
“We’ve had so many duels, Josef and I, but he has a percentage that comes out on top more,” O’Ward said. “Today is the day that changes.”
The final margin of victory was just 0.2352 seconds, the tightest Iowa finish in 18 years, narrowly beating the margin from Franchitti vs Andretti in 2007. It was O’Ward’s sixth career INDYCAR win, and his second at Iowa, following his 2022 triumph in what was then his 50th series start.
Newgarden Dominates, But Misses Out
Newgarden had looked untouchable for much of the race, maintaining a steady gap through traffic and leading every lap from pole until the final round of pit stops. It was the 14th time in his career he had led more than 100 laps in a single race, and the tenth time doing so at Iowa.
But as the track evolved and strategy came into play, O’Ward pounced. His final pit stop was not only cleaner than Newgarden’s but aided by a superior in-lap, allowing him to rejoin ahead of the reigning Indianapolis 500 winner. From there, track position proved decisive.
“O’Ward got track position and that was game over,” Newgarden admitted post-race. “It was as simple as that.”
The defeat was especially significant given Team Penske’s dominance at Iowa in recent years. One of their drivers had won eight of the past nine races at the track, including back-to-back doubleheader sweeps in 2022 and 2023.
Penske Lock Out the Top Four
While the win slipped through their grasp, Penske still delivered an ominous team result. Will Power took third and Scott McLaughlin stormed from 27th to fourth after crashing in qualifying earlier in the day. The result marked Chevrolet’s first victory of the season and a 1–2–3–4 sweep for the bowtie badge.
It was Chevrolet’s best collective showing in 2025, having previously trailed Honda in most major statistical categories this year. Saturday’s result gives the manufacturer critical momentum heading into the second race of the doubleheader on Sunday.
Palou Holds On as Kirkwood Crashes
Behind the Penske quartet, Alex Palou delivered another controlled drive to finish fifth. The Ganassi driver maintains his grip on the championship lead, though O’Ward’s win cuts the gap to 106 points with six rounds to go.
Kyle Kirkwood’s race was less forgiving. The Andretti Global driver had a dramatic day, crashing twice in the No. 27 Sukup Honda. His second incident, on Lap 153, saw the car spear into the Turn 1 wall with damage linked to a suspected right-front suspension issue. The hit came hours after another crash in qualifying.
Kirkwood drops behind O’Ward in the standings and now sits 140 points adrift of Palou, severely denting his title bid.
More Incidents and Rookie Lessons
Rookie Jacob Abel became the first retirement of the day after brushing the Turn 2 wall on Lap 75 in his No. 51 Abel Construction Honda. He lost control while running a high line and was fortunate to avoid further contact. He was checked and cleared at the infield care center.
Later, O’Ward’s Arrow McLaren teammate Nolan Siegel brought out the red flag when he crashed heavily into the Turn 4 wall with just 15 laps to go. The damage required SAFER Barrier repairs, prompting race control to suspend the event and preserve a green-flag finish.
What’s Next?
O’Ward’s victory lifts him to second in the championship and marks a personal milestone in style. Just as he did on his 50th start in 2022, he now wins on his 100th, again with Penske drivers in the rearview mirror.
The Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup completes the Iowa Speedway doubleheader this Sunday, with green flag coverage beginning at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app, and the INDYCAR Radio Network.