Josef Newgarden is heading into the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season following his lowest points finish since joining Team Penske in 2017. The 35-year-old driver ended the 2025 championship in 12th place, marking his poorest performance since he ranked 13th while racing for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing in 2014. Though a late-season surge, including a win at the Nashville Superspeedway finale, lifted him from 16th to 12th in the standings, the overall campaign represented a significant setback.
Challenges for Newgarden and Team Penske in 2025
This recent result contrasts sharply with Newgarden’s early years at Penske, where he achieved five top-two finishes in the first seven seasons, including championship victories in 2017 and 2019. However, last year’s difficulties were not isolated to him alone, as Team Penske faced one of its toughest years in recent memory. The organization secured only two wins in the entire 2025 season, its fewest since 2007, and recorded 15 DNFs across its three drivers, the highest count since 1998.
Will Power’s triumph at Portland International Raceway on August 10 was notable as Penske’s first win of that season, marking the end of the team’s streak of winless starts dating back to 1999. Power led the team’s final standings in ninth place, followed closely by Scott McLaughlin in tenth and Newgarden in twelfth.
Organizational Changes Amid a Season of Turmoil
The 2025 season also saw significant changes within Team Penske’s structure after internal troubles came to light. In May, the team released Tim Cindric, Ron Ruzewski, and Kyle Moyer due to Indianapolis 500 rules violations. Leadership shifts followed in July, with Jonathan Diuguid appointed as president and Travis Law taking on the role of competition director. Newgarden and McLaughlin acknowledged that the team began to regain form only after these changes took effect in August.
Renewed Team Continuity and Upcoming Adjustments
In the closing stages of 2025, Team Penske won two of the last three races, signaling improvement. For the 2026 season, Newgarden benefits from steady support, maintaining Luke Mason as his race engineer and working closely with Jonathan Diuguid as his strategist. Tim Cindric has returned to the team but now serves as McLaughlin’s strategist. This renewed continuity offers optimism for a stronger campaign ahead.
Newgarden has embraced a darker, more aggressive persona entering the new season, recently starring in a FOX Sports commercial that depicts him as a villain who “rips the hearts out” of his rivals.
We are the Evil Empire about to strike. Just wait. We’re coming full attack.
?Josef Newgarden, Driver
Maintaining a Familiar Mindset Amid Change
Despite the sharper edge, Newgarden insists that much of the team’s mindset remains consistent.
It feels like business as usual in a lot of respects,
I’m excited. It’s that time of year where the cadence is starting to pick up.
?Josef Newgarden, Driver
He expects subtle but important changes moving into the new season, especially around communication and workflow during race weekends.
I think the way we debrief, probably communication flow,
A lot of mundane things, a lot of process-driven things, will be different. Almost refreshed, if you will. It’ll be a new workflow. That’s probably the best way to put it: a slightly different cadence on race weekend. Hopefully, it will be a good, positive change.
?Josef Newgarden, Driver
Driver Lineup Shifts Mark New Challenges
The team’s driver lineup has changed significantly for 2026. David Malukas joins Penske, replacing Will Power, who left after a 14-year tenure highlighted by two championships in 2014 and 2022, 43 wins including the 2018 Indianapolis 500, and a record 65 NTT P1 Awards. Malukas arrives with 61 career starts.
Scott McLaughlin remains on the roster after joining Penske in 2021, bringing 84 career starts. Meanwhile, Newgarden, now in his 15th season with 232 career starts, is the most experienced member of the current lineup.
I am the old guy,
I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for 15 years. I’ve always had a strong sense of what I’ve wanted, and that part isn’t going to change. When I was young and now that I’m older, I’ll still have the same projection in my voice about what I think we need to be doing. That part will be similar.
?Josef Newgarden, Driver
Looking Ahead to 2026: The Stakes for Newgarden and Team Penske
Josef Newgarden’s 2026 season represents a crucial opportunity to rebound from a disappointing year while adjusting to fresh team dynamics and a reshaped driver roster. The blend of new leadership, optimizer workflows, and a sharpened competitive mindset is designed to restore Team Penske’s position as a top contender.
With Newgarden’s experience and resolve, combined with support from Jonathan Diuguid, Travis Law, and race engineer Luke Mason, the team hopes to reestablish its winning tradition. Fans and competitors alike will watch closely as the “Evil Empire” prepares to strike with full force in the upcoming season.
