2026 Good Ranchers 250

Newgarden Wins Thrilling Good Ranchers 250 as Multi-Groove Racing Shines at Phoenix

Josef Newgarden charged from second on the grid to victory in the Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway, claiming his 33rd career NTT IndyCar Series win and extending his streak of at least one victory in 12 consecutive seasons.

The Team Penske driver led the final six laps after a late-race strategy call for fresh tires paid dividends, holding off Kyle Kirkwood by 1.7937 seconds at the checkered flag in the 250-lap, 250-mile oval event. Newgarden's winning time was 1:51:14.4657 for an average speed of 134.842 mph, with the race featuring 18 lead changes among 11 drivers and a record 565 on-track passes at the 1-mile oval.

David Malukas, who started on pole in his first qualifying session with Team Penske, led a race-high 73 laps but settled for third after battling hard in the closing stages. Pato O'Ward finished fourth and Marcus Armstrong rounded out the top five.

The race evolved into a thrilling showcase of multi-groove racing on the high-banked oval, far exceeding preseason expectations for single-file running. Early cautions thinned the field, including a Lap 19 incident that saw championship leader Alex Palou make contact with the SAFER Barrier in the dogleg after slight contact from Rinus VeeKay, ending his day after just 21 laps. Romain Grosjean retired before the green flag with a mechanical issue after stalling on pit lane pre-race.

Christian Rasmussen dominated the middle stages, leading 69 laps and appearing strong on multiple restarts, while Kirkwood's consistent pace and strategic patience positioned him for the runner-up spot. Will Power and Rasmussen tangled while battling for the lead on Lap 206, bringing out a caution that set up the final sequence: several teams elected not to pit under yellow, but Newgarden's crew opted for tires, vaulting him forward in the closing laps.

Post-race, Newgarden praised the team's execution: "We executed at a super high level. Everyone was on it. The timing stand did a great job, made the right calls, great pit stops. When we needed to be fast, we were fast."

He highlighted the race's quality: "It just turned it into certainly a show, something you could pick apart. You could choose your battle at the end, what you want to do. It was fun to be a part of that."

Team Penske president Jonathan Diuguid noted the aggressive call: "The opportunity came with 40 laps to go, that caution came out. Decided to give up the track position we had, take tires, put it in Josef's hands. He did an amazing job."

Kirkwood, who led 47 laps, called it an "incredible race" that evolved dramatically: "As we continued to run, they cleaned off the track, people got more confident running more than one lane. It turned into an incredible race."

Malukas reflected on his first podium with the team: "That was the hardest I pushed a tire before. That was drifting. I never drifted in an INDYCAR that much before. ... Big congrats to Josef for getting the win there."

The 565 total passes — including 323 position passes, 145 in the top 10 and 60 in the top five — marked a high-water mark for Phoenix, aided by the series' downforce and power settings, tire compound and drivers' willingness to explore the high line. Four cautions covered 41 laps.

Newgarden's win, his 19th on an oval, strengthens Team Penske's early-season momentum after a strong St. Petersburg weekend. Palou's early exit tightens the championship battle, with Kirkwood now second in points.

The NTT IndyCar Series heads next to the Streets of Arlington for round three, carrying the momentum from a Desert Double weekend that delivered a memorable return to Phoenix after eight years.

Newgarden Tops Final Practice as Teams Dial In Race Pace at Phoenix

Josef Newgarden topped final practice for the Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway, posting a best lap of 167.677 mph in the No. 2 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet during the 50-minute session that ran from 3:10 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain Time.

The session followed a 30-minute high-line group session (split into Group A from 2:30-2:45 p.m. and Group B from 2:45-3 p.m.) designed to rubber in the preferred high groove ahead of Saturday's 250-lap race. Race Control black-flagged cars No. 2 and No. 3 (Scott McLaughlin) during the high-line running for being too low, though both were able to participate in final practice.

Newgarden's top speed came on Lap 4 of 40 total run, edging Marcus Armstrong by 0.0662 seconds in the No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda (167.161 mph on Lap 15 of 64). Pato O'Ward placed third at 166.724 mph in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, turning an impressive 101 laps — among the highest counts — to log extensive race simulation work.

Championship leader Alex Palou ended fourth at 166.197 mph in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (83 laps), showing solid pace after his 10th-place qualifying effort. Pole-sitter David Malukas was fifth at 165.394 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet (97 laps), with Kyle Kirkwood (165.329 mph), Graham Rahal (165.158 mph), Marcus Ericsson (164.565 mph), Scott McLaughlin (164.313 mph) and Alexander Rossi (163.703 mph) completing the top 10.

The session saw one full-course yellow at 3:21 p.m. when Romain Grosjean slowed in the dogleg with a reported hybrid issue in the No. 18 BMax Dale Coyne Racing Honda. The car required a tow-in, and Race Control issued a 5-minute time penalty to Grosjean under rule 7.1.4.1.1 for causing the caution. Green flag resumed at 3:24 p.m.

Compared to Practice 1's cooler conditions and higher speeds (topping 175 mph), final practice reflected warmer track temperatures and a focus on long-run stability, tire wear and traffic running. High-lap drivers like O'Ward (101 laps), McLaughlin (100) and Malukas (97) prioritized race trim.

Felix Rosenqvist returned after his Practice 1 crash and medical clearance, posting 162.917 mph for 18th in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda (64 laps). Rookies Mick Schumacher (R) (162.947 mph, 17th), Dennis Hauger (163.179 mph, 14th) and Caio Collet (161.702 mph, 19th) continued oval acclimation.

With qualifying complete — Malukas on pole alongside Newgarden on the front row — the field now has a clear picture of setup directions for the 250-mile oval race. Attention turns to Saturday's 250-lap race and its 3 p.m. ET air time on FOX.

Malukas Claims First Career Pole as Team Penske Locks Out Front Row at Phoenix

David Malukas captured the NTT P1 Award and his first pole position in the NTT IndyCar Series, turning a two-lap average of 175.383 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet to lock out the top spot for Saturday's Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway.

Qualifying for the 250-lap oval race ran from 12:05 p.m. to just after 1 p.m. Mountain Time on Friday, March 6, under fair skies with an ambient temperature of 69 degrees and a track temperature of 108.32 degrees. The single-car, two-lap format saw each attempt begin on the second time past the flag stand, with 24 cars making runs after Felix Rosenqvist did not participate following his hard contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 3 during Practice 1. Rosenqvist was seen and released from the INDYCAR Medical Unit earlier in the day.

Malukas's blistering 20.4928-second first lap (175.671 mph) and 20.5602-second second lap (175.096 mph) for a combined 41.0530 seconds proved untouchable, securing pole in his first qualifying session with Team Penske. Josef Newgarden, the 2018 Phoenix winner and Malukas's teammate, qualified second with a 174.548 mph average in the No. 2 XPEL Chevrolet, giving Team Penske a front-row lockout.

Graham Rahal took third at 173.993 mph in the No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda, while rookie Mick Schumacher impressed with fourth at 173.667 mph in the No. 47 Honda. Scott McLaughlin completed the top five at 173.448 mph in the No. 3 Gallagher Insurance Chevrolet, marking a strong showing for Chevrolet power with three Penske cars in the top five.

Alexander Rossi (173.389 mph), Pato O'Ward (173.344 mph), Rinus VeeKay (173.248 mph), Nolan Siegel (172.995 mph) and championship leader Alex Palou (172.980 mph) rounded out the top 10.

Notable incidents included Will Power's spin on his second lap in Turn 2, leading to contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 3. The No. 26 TWG AI Andretti Global Honda sustained rear damage but continued to pit lane, where Power climbed out without assistance. Power was seen and released by INDYCAR Medical Director Dr. Julia Vaizer. His single timed lap of 20.6734 seconds (174.137 mph) placed him 24th.

In post-qualifying comments, Malukas expressed excitement about his milestone pole.

"It's his rule. I think he came up with it," Newgarden joked about the "Little Dave" to "Big Dave" moniker shift, adding, "It's a good day. Good day for the team. I think we're all top five where we landed. So a lot of speed on our cars."

Malukas reflected on the achievement: "To get my first pole with Team Penske with the captain being here as well, with NASCAR, it's all coming full circle."

He emphasized preparation for race conditions: "Nothing changes. We're definitely going to want to be in the traffic running. You start in pole. You could lose it on the first corner. ... We know it's quick in clean air, but as the race is, you're never really going to be in clean air."

Newgarden highlighted the challenges ahead compared to earlier testing: "The race is going to be a totally different story. ... Most people weren't running together in packs. So this is going to be pretty insightful what we're about to go through."

The field will now turn to final practice for crucial race setup work, particularly in traffic and with potential Goodyear rubber influence from NASCAR activities, before the green flag drops Saturday.

Malukas Sets Early Phoenix Pace as Rosenqvist Walks Away from Hard Hit

David Malukas topped the timesheets in Practice 1 for the Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway, posting a blistering 175.605 mph lap in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet to set the early benchmark on the 1-mile oval.

The 60-minute session, which ran from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Mountain Time on Friday, March 6, saw two full-course yellows interrupt the running. The first came at 8:01 a.m. when smoke was visible on the dogleg between the start-finish line and Turn 1, with the green flag waving again by 8:03 a.m. The second and more significant incident occurred at 8:20 a.m. when Felix Rosenqvist spun in mid-corner and made hard contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 3. The No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda driver climbed from his car without assistance from the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team. INDYCAR Medical Director Dr. Julia Vaizer confirmed Rosenqvist was seen and released from the INDYCAR Medical Unit.

Malukas's top speed came on his ninth lap of 17 total run, edging out Pato O'Ward by 0.1345 seconds. O'Ward, in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, turned a 174.461 mph best on Lap 23 of 26. Josef Newgarden rounded out the top three at 174.057 mph in the No. 2 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet, just 0.0479 seconds behind O'Ward.

Team Penske showed strong early form with three cars in the top seven: Malukas first, Newgarden third and Scott McLaughlin seventh at 173.544 mph. Ed Carpenter Racing also flexed muscle on the oval, placing Christian Rasmussen fourth (173.967 mph) and Alexander Rossi sixth (173.551 mph), the latter posting the fastest single lap in February preseason testing.

Will Power rounded out the top five at 173.829 mph in the No. 26 TWG AI Andretti Global Honda, while Rinus VeeKay (173.498 mph), Kyle Kirkwood (173.474 mph) and Nolan Siegel (173.415 mph) completed the top 10.

Championship leader Alex Palou ended the session 18th at 172.563 mph in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, matching Graham Rahal's speed but with a slight edge in lap count (39 to Rahal's 11). Scott Dixon was 12th at 173.227 mph, while the Ganassi entry of Kyffin Simpson trailed further back in 19th at 172.069 mph.

Rookies faced their first taste of oval running in IndyCar machinery during a race weekend. Mick Schumacher turned the best rookie lap at 173.264 mph for 11th overall in the No. 47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda. Caio Collet struggled to 25th at 166.707 mph in the No. 4 Combitrans Amazona A.J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet, while Dennis Hauger was 21st at 171.089 mph in the No. 19 Ault Block Chain Dale Coyne Racing Honda.