Team Penske achieved a significant milestone in the 2025 IndyCar season, as Josef Newgarden finally broke through his qualification struggles during the Grand Prix of Monterey at Laguna Seca. This Team Penske IndyCar qualifying breakthrough saw Newgarden secure his best non-oval starting position of the season, an important boost after persistent qualifying challenges.
Newgarden Pushes Through Recent Struggles
Josef Newgarden, a two-time IndyCar champion, has faced a tough season marked by disappointing qualifying results, which became a recurring issue for Team Penske. Before arriving at Laguna Seca, his last successful advance beyond Round 1 of qualifying on a road or street course dated back to the Sonsio GP on May 9, when he started sixth at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The pressure on Newgarden and his crew had intensified as the season progressed, with each session offering no relief until now.
At Saturday’s qualifying on July 27 at Laguna Seca, Newgarden managed to make it through both the opening and second rounds, advancing to the Firestone Fast 6 shootout. Although his pace was short of pole contention, he locked in a fourth-place start for the Grand Prix of Monterey. After the session, Newgarden highlighted the team effort and the intense preparation that powered this result.
“It was a big step forward from the team. They were here working all night to try and give us something different. We learned a lot just day over day, so really proud of our team,”
said Newgarden. —Josef Newgarden, Driver
Penske Teammates and Competition on the Grid
Will Power, another Team Penske driver, also broke into the Top 6 for the race, ensuring two Penske cars near the front. Power will start directly behind Newgarden in fifth position. Meanwhile, Alex Palou secured pole position with a convincing margin, while Pato O’Ward, his main championship challenger, clinched second place with what he described as a “monster lap.” Colton Herta earned third place and will join Newgarden on the second row of the starting grid. Rounding out the Firestone Fast 6 was David Malukas from AJ Foyt Racing, highlighting the presence of multiple team strategies as the session unfolded.
Penske’s Tactical Tire Choice and Its Implications
During the crucial qualifying rounds, Team Penske set out with a clear objective: advance all three drivers past the opening round at Laguna Seca. To achieve this, both Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin, in Group 1, and Will Power, competing in Group 2, utilized two sets of the soft compound tires in the first round. Most other teams opted to split their usage between one set of hard tires and one set of softs.
The approach saw Newgarden and Power progress in their respective groups, but McLaughlin just missed out. The two advancing Penske drivers paid a price for that tactic—entering the Firestone Fast 6 with one fewer set of the fastest red soft tires. Newgarden addressed this calculated risk in his remarks:
“We sacrificed our reds in that first run there. We weren’t quick enough, so we gave that up for the Fast 6. But to get to the Fast 6 was a big game for all of us,”
he said. —Josef Newgarden, Driver
What Comes Next for Team Penske and the IndyCar Field
The Grand Prix of Monterey is poised to highlight the results of overnight persistence and bold strategy for Team Penske, as Newgarden and Power start in strong positions among tough competitors such as Palou, O’Ward, Herta, and Malukas. The event coverage will commence at 3:00 pm ET on FOX, with the green flag dropping at 3:22 pm ET. With the entire Team Penske camp seeking to capitalize on this qualifying breakthrough, all eyes will be on whether the momentum carries through to race day and if the tire strategy pays off under real race conditions.
