Josef Newgarden’s Penske-Chevrolet topped the first three-hour session in IndyCar’s open test at Phoenix International Raceway, and is so far the only driver to crack the 190mph barrier. Until the final 20 minutes, Sebastien Bourdais had led Ed Jones in an impressive Dale Coyne Racing-Honda 1-2 at 186mph, but a late surge on new tires from several drivers saw the DCR cars drop to eighth and ninth. On Newgarden’s 39th lap of the day, the #2 Penske lapped the 1.022-mile track at 190.129mph. In the end, it was Newgarden’s former team owner and teammate Ed Carpenter who came closest to deposing the Tennessee native, running a 189.990mph in the Ed Carpenter Racing-Chevy and knock Will...
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