:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elfinanciero/PLF2BDKVQ5AM5CTRRRLF2F7LPQ.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "Finishing Second in PPG 375, Patricio O’Ward Takes the Championship Lead in IndyCar")
The Mexican Patrick O’Ward he repeated the podium in the second race of the 2023 IndyCar Series season at PPG 375 in Fort Worth, Texas and is the new championship leader. The Arrow McLaren driver finished second, behind Josef Newgarden; Alex Palou was third.
‘Duck’ O’Ward led for much of the race, but a crash between Graham Rahal and Devlin Defrancesco on lap 223 and another by Romain Grosjean, two laps from the end, prevented him from maintaining the lead and taking the win.
To the Monterrey pilot ‘Pato’ O’Ward victory also eluded him in the final laps four weeks ago in the St. Petersburg Grand Prix (Florida, USA) the first race of the season, against the Swede Marcus Ericsson. Despite that, he leads the championship.
The American Josef Newgarden (Team Pensek) achieved victory in the PPG 375 for the second consecutive year from Fort Worth, Texas by finishing ahead of O’Ward and Spanish Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi), who accompanied him on the podium.
Newgarden increased his total number of IndyCar Series wins to 26 and sealed his third win -second in a row- in PPG 375 after a race scheduled for 250 laps at the Texas Motor Speedway oval, but which He finished two from the end and under a yellow flag due to an accident by Frenchman Romain Grosjean (Andretti Autosport).
The 32-year-old Nashville driver, who was the driver who led the most turns, was the winner of an intense final duel with O’Ward and Palou -champion in 2021-, who alternated in the lead in the final part of the career. The Mexican signed the fastest lap in Texas.
Swedish Marcus Eriscsson (Chip Ganassi Racing), winner of the opening race of the season, in Saint Petersburg, finished in eighth place. While his compatriot Felix Rosenqvist (Arrow McLaren), who started from pole position, could not finish.
This is how the IndyCar Series championship goes
- Patrick O’Ward – 82 points
- Marcus Ericsson – 75 puntos
- Scott Dixon – 67 points
- Josef Newgarden – 66 points
- Alex Palou – 60 points
- David Malukas – 53 points
- Callum Ilott – 52 points
- Scott McLaughlin – 48 points
- Colton Hertha – 37 points
- Agustin Canapino – 36 points
The IndyCar Series resumes on April 16 with the Long Beach (California) Grand Prix.
(With information from EFE)
