Information contained in this news release is current as of the date of the press announcement, but may be subject to change without prior notice.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tokyo, April 24, 2018 --Josef Newgarden had an impressive victory in the fourth round of the US IndyCar Series on April 23 (Mon) thanks to his technique, judgement, and superior concentration. The race was held at Barber Motorsports Park, Alabama, on April 23 (Mon) after the scheduled race on April 22 (Sun) was postponed due to rain. Newgarden’s Team Penske is sponsored by Hitachi Automobile Systems, Ltd., and the rest of the Hitachi Group.
Located in richly verdant rolling hills, the Barber Motorsports Park uses the naturally undulating terrain to create a technically-demanding circuit with both high-speed and low-speed corners. The fourth round, held here, was a race of 90 laps in which a total of 23 cars battled it out over a 2.3 mile course. In the qualification round on April 21 (Sat), Josef Newgarden used skilful driving to beat out his teammate, Will Power, to take pole position. Rain during the finals on Sunday meant a safety car led the pack from the start and overtaking was prohibited, but the weather worsened, and after a series of crashes it was determined to be too dangerous to race. The race was restarted on Monday from lap 23, with Newgarden still in front.
Monday’s race started off in dry conditions, but towards the end rain once again made for a slippery course, requiring both drivers and teams to use extremely strategic approaches. Newgarden retained high level control of his machine, and then switched to rain tires with just 15 minutes to go to achieve an impressive pole-to-win.
This result means that Newgarden moves up from second to first place in the yearly championship, and is in a great position to aim for the Series Championship over the remaining 13 races.
Hitachi Automotive Systems will continue to contribute to promoting motorsport and creating even further awareness of the Hitachi brand through sponsorship of IndyCar and other motorsports.
Josef Newgarden driving in the rain
Josef Newgarden (middle) holding his trophy
Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd.,
headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company is engaged in the development, manufacture, sales and services of automotive components, transportation related components, industrial machines and systems, and offers a wide range of automotive systems including engine powertrain systems, electric powertrain systems, integrated vehicle control systems.
For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi-automotive.co.jp/en/.
