Josef Newgarden struggles in bizarre IndyCar season

In 2025, the INDYCAR series heads to Iowa for a double-header weekend, featuring two races: the Synk 275 on Saturday and the Farm to Finish 275 on Sunday. The events will be broadcast live on FOX, offering fans an opportunity to engage with the thrilling competition. Recent races have seen Alex Palou leading the series standings, while drivers like Scott Dixon claim one win this season, having capitalized on Palou's mistake at Mid-Ohio. Newgarden, a two-time series champion, has found himself struggling this year, currently sitting in 19th place, 288 points behind Palou. Newgarden describes his season as bizarre, highlighting a range of misfortunes that have prevented him from achieving a victory. Despite demonstrating impressive skills in previous races, he faced mechanical issues and crashes that hampered his performance. Throughout the season, Newgarden's Team Penske has also struggled to find victory lane, marking a stark contrast to their dominant performance in previous years, where they clinched two Indy 500 wins in 2023 and 2024. The upcoming races at Iowa present Newgarden with a critical opportunity to turn his season around. Known for his prowess on oval tracks, he has achieved five wins at Iowa over his career. Newgarden and his team are hopeful that the change in scenery could help break the dry spell they have been experiencing this season. In addition to Newgarden's challenges, other drivers in the field, including Conor Daly and Kyle Kirkwood, are also seeking their first wins of the season, adding to the competitiveness of the double-header weekend. As the races approach, Newgarden remains optimistic about his chances, despite the current struggles and strange turn of events. He is not only looking forward to the Iowa races but is also eager for the Nashville race later in the year. The stakes are high for Newgarden; a victory would significantly boost his confidence and standings in the series, while failure to perform could continue the trend of an unusual season for him and Team Penske.