Fansided

5 IndyCar drivers to watch in 2017

By Brittany Frederick

Team Penske's Josef Newgarden observes the IndyCar team test at Sebring International Raceway. Photo Credit: Chris Owens/Courtesy of IndyCar
Team Penske's Josef Newgarden observes the IndyCar team test at Sebring International Raceway. Photo Credit: Chris Owens/Courtesy of IndyCar /
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IndyCar drivers to watch
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden. Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Verizon IndyCar Series. /

Josef Newgarden

Team: Team Penske
2016 Finish: 4th
2016 Wins: 1 (Iowa)

The move of Josef Newgarden from Ed Carpenter Racing to Team Penske was possibly the worst kept secret in all of motorsports this past fall. Everyone knew that the Tennessee native wanted to be driving for one of the Big Three teams in IndyCar. He’d even specifically signed a one-year deal for the 2016 season with an eye toward being available on the free agent market if and when a seat opened up.

This fall it finally did. The Captain himself, Roger Penske, got his man when he released Juan Pablo Montoya from the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet in order to sign Newgarden. Now there’s no one in the paddock who isn’t curious how the 26-year-old will do having gotten what he’s wished for.

Make no mistake about it: Newgarden is a contender. No matter what team he was driving for he’d be one of the IndyCar drivers to watch just based on talent. He’s grown leaps and bounds over the past two seasons, finishing 7th in the championship hunt in 2015 and 4th in the title race of 2016. He’s racked up three victories, one Verizon P1 Award and eight podiums in that span.

But now there’s nothing left to lose and everything to prove. Drivers have said it time and time again — when you come to Team Penske you are expected to win. Between the pressure of that and the anticipation around the league, Newgarden will have to come up with more than one trip to Victory Lane to make the 2017 season a success. He needs to continue moving up and to be the championship threat (not to mention the top American representative in the international world of IndyCar) that everyone wants him to be.