Newgarden’s terrifying crash overshadows Kirkwood’s Gateway win

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Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood claimed his maiden IndyCar oval victory at the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 in St. Louis, with Pato O’Ward and Christian Rasmussen rounding out the podium.

But the race was marred by a terrifying crash that saw race leader Josef Newgarden’s car catapulted upside down after colliding with rookie Louis Foster on lap 131.

Foster, running a strong 13th, veered too high in Turn 4, striking the wall and snapping a toe-link, sending his Rahal Letterman Lanigan car spinning across the track.

Newgarden, committed to the low line, T-boned Foster nose-to-nose, launching his Team Penske machine into a violent flip. Sparks erupted as the aeroscreen scraped the asphalt, the car’s rear wing grazing the pitwall before skidding to a stop.

Miraculously, both drivers walked away unscathed, with IndyCar’s safety crew swiftly flipping Newgarden’s car upright.

“Obviously, glad Josef is OK,” said Foster, lamenting the marbles that caught him out. The shunt crushed Newgarden’s hopes of a fifth Gateway win in six races, dropping him to 14th in points.

Team Penske’s woes deepened as teammates Will Power and Scott McLaughlin also retired, leaving Kirkwood to bask in victory under the shadow of a heart-stopping wreck

Andretti's Kyle Kirkwood celebrates at Gateway his first oval IndyCar win.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.