Newgarden’s Nashville home glory closes out IndyCar season

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©IndyCar

For Josef Newgarden, Sunday’s IndyCar season finale in Nashville wasn’t just another race – it was redemption.

The local favorite ended a 20-race winless stretch by conquering the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway, giving fans the fairy-tale finish they craved.

Driving the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet, Newgarden seized the lead late and held off reigning champion Alex Palou by just half a second in a dramatic showdown that capped the 2025 IndyCar season in style.

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“Glad we got one without anything going wrong,” he said. “Happy to celebrate this team. They deserve it. It’s rewarding for our team. Tough, tough year, but good to get a win at the end.”

The roar of relief was unmistakable when Newgarden parked on the front straight, then leapt into the grandstands to celebrate with his people – echoing the joy of his back-to-back Indy 500 wins in 2023 and 2024.

“I think we should be racing in Nashville to end the championship all the time,” he beamed. “It’s great to be home. Pumped, just pumped.”

For Newgarden, it was more than a victory. It was a homecoming, a catharsis, and the perfect curtain call to a rollercoaster season.

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.