It’s been a challenging Gallagher Grand Prix weekend for Josef Newgarden thus far, and got even tougher Saturday morning with the announcement by IndyCar that the Team Penske driver’s No. 2 Chevrolet has been assessed a six-place grid penalty for an unapproved engine change following qualifying.
Newgarden, who had qualified a disappointing 19th on Friday, will now start 25th in the 27-car field for today’s race after his and the three previously announced grid penalties for similarly unapproved engine changes are applied.
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Officially, the team was in violation of Rule 16.2.3.2 which states that a fifth engine is eligible to earn engine manufacturer points if a full season entrant has completed the full season entrant engine mileage with its first four engines. Otherwise, a fifth or more engine does not earn engine manufacturer points and will be considered an unapproved engine change-out.