Josef Newgarden’s Phoenix Victory Boosts IndyCar Viewership and Championship Hopes

Josef Newgarden reclaimed the IndyCar lead with a dominant win at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, March 7, 2026, marking a significant moment for both the driver and the series. The victory, his first of the season, propelled him to the top of the NTT IndyCar Series standings, surpassing Álex Palou for the first time since June 2024 ESPN.

Return to a Familiar Track

Newgarden’s success at Phoenix is not new. He also won the IndyCar race at the 1-mile oval in 2018, the last time the series raced there. This familiarity clearly played to his advantage, allowing him to navigate the track effectively and secure the win AP News.

Team Penske’s Strong Showing

The race highlighted a strong performance from Team Penske, celebrating its 60th season in racing. David Malukas secured the pole position for the IndyCar race, while Joey Logano took the pole in the NASCAR event, also held at Phoenix Raceway as part of a doubleheader. Ryan Blaney is favored to win the NASCAR race on Sunday ESPN.

Palou’s Setback

Álex Palou, who had held the championship lead since June 2024, faced a challenging race. An early collision with Rinus Veekay resulted in a 21st-place finish and his 10th DNF in 100 career IndyCar starts ESPN. This dropped him to fifth in the standings.

Record-Breaking Viewership

The Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix drew 1,247,000 viewers on FOX, a 95 percent increase compared to the average viewership for Saturday races in the previous year. Viewership peaked at 1,468,000 during the final laps of the race, which featured a record 565 on-track passes for the 1-mile oval Yahoo Sports.

Looking Ahead to Arlington

Newgarden’s victory sets the stage for the inaugural Java House Grand Prix of Arlington in Arlington, Texas, next weekend. The race coverage will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One, and the FOX Sports app ESPN.

Final Results – Phoenix Raceway (March 2026)

• 1. Josef Newgarden
• 2. Kyle Kirkwood
• 3. David Malukas
• 4. Pato O’Ward
• 5. Marcus Armstrong
• 6. Alexander Rossi
• 7. Scott Dixon
• 8. Scott McLaughlin
• 9. Graham Rahal
• 10. Kyffin Simpson