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Team Penske eSports INDYCAR iRacing Challenge Race Report

Track:                  Virtual Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
Race:                   INDYCAR Challenge at COTA
Date:                   April 25, 2020

No. 1 PPG Dallara/Chevrolet – Josef Newgarden

Start: 8th
Finish: 10th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 32/32

Notes:

• Josef Newgarden worked hard to secure a top-10 finish in Saturday’s INDYCAR Challenge at the virtual Circuit of the America’s road course.
• Newgarden qualified in the eighth position for the fifth race in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge series. He was forced to make a pit stop on just the third lap after the No. 1 PPG Chevrolet suffered some damage early on.
• The early stop put Newgarden behind the race leaders and he spent the remainder of the 32-lap event trying to get back up front.
• The defending NTT IndyCar Series champion worked his way back into the top 10 finished in 10th place at the checkered flag.

Quote: 

“Bit of an up and down race for us in the No 1. PPG Chevy. We had more speed than we were able to show in qualifying and started further back than we hoped for. We got caught up in some carnage a couple of times and had to take a different swing at race strategy, ultimately, we came home a solid P10. We’ll keep plugging away at this and hopefully have a stronger showing at Indy.”

No. 2 Shell V-Power Dallara – Scott McLaughlin

Start: 4th
Finish: 4th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 32/32

Notes:

• Scott McLaughlin was once again a strong contender in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge as he produced Team Penske’s top result at COTA and his fourth top-five finish in five races on Saturday.
• After starting fourth in the 33-car field, McLaughlin fell back a few positions early but maintained his position inside the top 10. After the first round of pit stops, the New Zealander was running 11th when the field ran under the competition caution flag at lap 12.
• With 12 laps left, McLaughlin was battling for the lead with Pato O’Ward before he headed to pit lane for his final stop.
• McLaughlin improved from ninth to fourth place in the final 10 laps to continue his strong 2020 results for Team Penske esports.

Quote:

"It was a pretty solid finish for us today in the Shell V-Power car. We had some good battles on track there with Norris and O’Ward. I made a couple of mistakes, but in the end it was a pretty good day and it was good to come home with a top-five finish. It’s going to be really cool next week to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the final race of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge and hopefully we can put on a good show for everyone watching at home.”

No. 12 Verizon Dallara/Chevrolet – Will Power

Start: 2nd
Finish: 6th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 32/32

Notes:

• Will Power had another solid finish in Saturday’s race at COTA, once again leading laps and running at the front of the field, but a rough out lap after his first pit stop proved costly for the former INDYCAR Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner.
• For the fifth consecutive race in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, Power earned a top-three starting spot as he qualified second for Saturday’s race at COTA.
• Power kept pace with polesitter and eventual race winner Lando Norris from Formula One over the first half of the race, running second in the Verizon Chevy. When Norris made his first pit stop just before the competition caution on lap 12, Power seized the race lead.
• Trying to stretch his fuel window to complete the race on one stop, Power visited the pits on lap 17 but after exiting pit lane, the Australian race spun twice on cold tires and he eventually fell to 16th in the running order.
• Power spent the second half of the race working his way back up front and he earned a sixth-place result at the finish for his fifth consecutive virtual top 10.

Quote: 

“We were looking pretty good there for completing the race with just one stop and fighting for the win before I had that tough out lap coming out of the pits. That was pretty frustrating because our strategy was playing out perfect and the Verizon Chevy was definitely fast. We’ll be looking to change our luck next week and if there’s one place where you want to get a win in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, it’s at Indianapolis.”

No. 22 Snap-on Dallara/Chevrolet – Simon Pagenaud

Start: 11th
Finish: 14th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 32/32

Notes:

• Looking to make it three consecutive wins in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, Simon Pagenaud qualified 11th for Saturday’s race at COTA.
• The defending Indianapolis 500 champion was running inside the top 10 by the halfway point in the race before he spun on track and then the No. 22 Snap-on Chevy suffered contact with another car. Pagenaud was forced to pit for repairs and he ran out of laps to catch back up to the leaders.
• Pagenaud worked hard to post a 14th-place result as his winning streak came to an end.

Quote: 

“It just wasn’t my day today unfortunately. I spun and then got caught up in some contact as a result and we were never able to get back up front after that. We really wanted to make it three wins in a row and get a good result for Snap-on and Chevrolet, but it was not meant to be. I’m excited that next week we get to virtually defend last year’s win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and I think it’s going to be really exciting for the fans. I can’t wait!”