Fwd: Freedom 100 story by Joe Shivak

NASHVILLE'S NEWGARDEN WINS INDY FREEDOM 100

By Joe Shivak

Indianapolis, IN ( May 27 )………Josef Newgarden survived a crash fest in route to winning the Firestone Indy Lights Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Hendersonville, Tennessee resident drove his #11 Sam Schmidt Motorsports Copart/Score Big/Robo-Pong SSM Dallara under the checkered flag at the yard of brick during the races final caution period. The win was the second of the season for the rookie driver who started on the outside pole position.

The race ending crash occurred on lap #35 involving Anders Krohn, Jorge Goncalvez and Bryan Clauson. There was slight contact between Goncalvez and Clauson when the three cars drove three wide entering turn 1. Krohn spun hitting the SAFER barrier with the front of his car while Goncalvez also spun and hit the SAFER barrier exiting the turn, then slides across the track and makes contact with the inside retaining wall in the short chute. The car was on fire as it slid on it's side back in front of race traffic. There was heavy damage to his car and he was removed from the car and taken to the infield care center aboard a stretcher but was awake and alert. He was later transported to IU Health Methodist for further evaluation. Krohn was checked and released from the infield care center. Both were driving for Belardi Auto Racing.

Clauson said, " We got a big run behind the draft. It looked like the 9 car ( Krohn ) got low. Everybody just ran out of room. We were going for it."

Estreban Guerrieri in his #7 Lucas Oil sponsored race car finished second while #22 Victor Garcia was third after starting in the second row.

This is the second win of the season for Newgarden who won the Indy Lights opener at St. Petersburg, FL. This marked the first 1-2 finish by one team in the Freedom 100 as both Newgarden and Guerrieri drive for Sam Schmidt Motorsports. SSM has won three consecutive Freedom 100 races, an event record and six of the nine races held at Indianapolis. Newgarden is the first American driver to win since Ed Carpenter won the inaugural race in 2003.

The race was slowest four times for a total of 22 laps. The first caution happened on lap #8 when Victor Carbone spun into the turn 1 wall. There was heavy damage to the rear of the car, but he would be released from the infield care center. On lap #21, James Winslow, Gustavo Yacaman and Juan Pablo Garcia all spun in turn 1. Winslow hit Garcia, who then hit Yacaman who was almost stationary. Yacaman was transported to IU Methodist Hospital complaining of neck pain. . The third caution involved Duarte Ferreira who spun in turn 2 and collected Brandon Wagner. Neither driver was injured. The final caution was for the race ending wreck.

The race had seven lead changes among four different drivers.. Newgarden, Stefan Wilson, Krohn and Guerrieri all lead laps, with Newgarden leading the most with 30 laps total at the point. Eighteen cars started the event, and ten were running at the checked flag.

Chase Austin, driving for Willy T. Ribbs, finished ninth in his Indy Lights debut. He is the first African-American driver to compete in the series.