​WEST ALLIS – Josef Newgarden, the two-time IndyCar champion and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, has added two race wins this season but has largely kept off the radar away from the media. At 34, he has spoken sparingly to reporters outside postrace news conferences and has limited group comments—only at the Indianapolis 500 banquet red carpet and briefly in Detroit—since sustaining a foot injury in a crash at Indy. During a July 8 test at the Milwaukee Mile ahead of the August 28–30 doubleheader weekend, Newgarden spent almost 10 minutes with local media. He discussed the test itself, his goal of winning at the Mile, and his appreciation for Team Penske. Despite still navigating crutches and wearing a soft boot on his left foot and ankle, he avoided discussing the specifics of his injury beyond broad terms. Here are some highlights.
Did you get what you needed from the test (before the rain delay)?
Newgarden: We knew what we had here last year with our car, and we came with something pretty different right out of the box. We were able to work through several test items that we needed to address so we could take everything back to the shop and get ready for the race weekend.
You haven’t always gotten the results you hoped for since returning to Milwaukee in 2024, including 27th, 26th, and seventh places. Is there a common thread?
Newgarden: I’ve had a couple of poles here—one in the 2024 second race and another in 2015 before an eight-year absence—and I think we’ve had a few chances to win. The best car I’ve had here didn’t even get a chance to green-flag. I started on the pole in that second race of ’24, and I feel like that could have been a really good day. I love this market. Milwaukee is a fantastic place to race, and we’ve built a strong fan base here. If we keep coming back, I’m confident we’ll eventually post a winning result.
So you feel like it’s more about circumstances than something you or the team specifically need to fix?
Newgarden: I think so. If I judge by how the car felt today, I’d say we’ve got a race-winning machine. The first laps I ran today gave me that impression. This car felt solid enough to be put in the truck and raced.
What is it about this venue that can break your heart?
Newgarden: IndyCar racing is incredibly challenging. It’s tough to get everything to align. Sometimes you catch a streak where everything seems to go right, and other times, even when things look good, things don’t go as planned. It’s a sport that tests every facet of preparation and execution, and Milwaukee has a way of delivering both the highs and the heartbreak.