Short oval mastery at World Wide Technology Raceway
It is difficult to overstate the stranglehold Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon have had here, combining for six of the last seven victories. The only blemish on that streak is Kyle Kirkwood’s beautiful win for Andretti Global last June. While Honda has managed two wins in the last three outings, the statistics suggest a Chevrolet fortress; since 2012, the bowtie has claimed 32 of 41 short oval races.
Heading into Sunday’s 260-lap race, Newgarden remains the benchmark with five wins in 10 starts here, alongside a stunning 624 laps led. He arrives carrying the momentum of his victory at Phoenix Raceway this March. Yet, keep an eye on his Team Penske stablemates: Scott McLaughlin, who has four top-five finishes in five starts, and David Malukas, who remains a massive threat on this track after leading 67 laps last year before his incident.
Beyond the favorites, the sleeper field is deceptively strong. Christian Rasmussen—who produced a sensational third-place drive here last year—is clearly finding his rhythm on ovals, while the veteran Will Power, now with Andretti Global, brings 10 career oval wins and proven pace to the grid. It is going to be an intense, high-speed affair when the lights go out.
