NASCAR and IndyCar have had many crossovers, especially after Kyle Larson attempted to run the Indy 500 and Coke 600 double. Now, IndyCar champion and reigning Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden has begun to show his affinity for NASCAR.
Newgarden, who has won the last two consecutive Indianapolis 500s, is in the midst of a quest to win his third IndyCar championship for Team Penske. The series was not run this week, so the Nashville native had time to attend the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.
Josef Newgarden shows interest in driving a NASCAR Cup car
Newgarden has added to his illustrious racing legacy with some of his recent motorsports accomplishments. Two wins at the Indianapolis 500 and the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona have him looking ahead to more opportunities outside of IndyCar.
That includes hopes of getting behind the wheel of a race car, it seems. IndyCar will finish its season at Nashville Superspeedway, where NASCAR was held last weekend. Newgarden wanted to attend the NASCAR event at his hometown track, and things ultimately worked out.
Home of the brave. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸@Team_Penske | #Ally400 image.twitter.com/XnZx0msnJb
— Nashville Superspeedway (@NashvilleSuperS) June 30, 2024
Newgarden took some time during the race weekend to speak to the media in Nashville. Motorsport.com’s Jim Utter didn’t hesitate to ask Josef about his desire and potential desire to get behind the wheel of a NASCAR car.
Newgarden was clear in his answer: it is something he wants to do.
“Yeah, sure. I would love to drive a Cup car at some point. You know, I used to go to Bristol races when I was a kid, too. Bristol has always been pretty high on my list,” Newgarden said. “This track and Bristol were probably the two I went to the most to watch Cup races.”
IndyCar takes the win, especially for Team Penske drivers
It’s something that’s crossed Newgarden’s mind. He drives for Roger Penske, so it might not be possible. Many other IndyCar drivers have wanted to do something similar, but haven’t been able to because of their single-seater obligations.
A good example is his fellow Indy car racer and former teammate Helio Castroneves, who always wanted the chance to race in the Daytona 500 but was never able to do so because of the Penske brass.
The Indy-NASCAR one-two punch has been accomplished by several NASCAR drivers, but can Newgarden try to become the first IndyCar driver to accomplish the reverse one-two punch?
That was another follow-up question for Josef after he began discussing his thoughts on racing a Cup car.
Would you like to see Josef Newgarden race at Bristol?
The two-time Indy 500 winner was at the NASCAR race in Nashville on Sunday and said he would love to drive a Cup car. image.twitter.com/WQ5Y5zr2i5
— INDYCAR on KeynoteUSA (@IndyCaronKeynoteUSA) July 1, 2024
“Doing the double would be a great opportunity. I don’t know if that will ever happen. It’s so hard to do it all these days,” Newgarden said, adding that if he wins a few more Indy 500s, it might happen. “I’m thinking if we win enough Indy 500s, then maybe they’ll just have to say ‘yes.’ I think that’s the strategy,” Newgarden said. “We have two now, how many do you need for an automatic ‘yes’?”
Ryan Blaney, another Team Penske driver in NASCAR and the reigning Cup Series champion, has also made it known that he would like to race the Indy 500 someday. It’s great to hear all these drivers who want to do things like the “one-two,” but remember that they drive for Roger Penske.
Nothing in the immediate future, but there is always hope.
While it doesn’t appear there’s anything on the horizon right away to get Josef Newgarden behind the wheel of a Cup car, he’s at least made it clear that he deserves a chance, especially with how good he is as an oval racer despite the lack of ovals on the IndyCar schedule.
Newgarden has proven to be one of the most versatile drivers IndyCar has to offer, so who’s to say he can’t get behind the wheel of a NASCAR Cup Series car and not succeed? He’s the Kyle Larson of IndyCar, quite honestly.
Keynote USA
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