Perhaps Josef Newgarden's best IndyCar weekend yet ends in frustration - MotorSportsTalk

LONG BEACH, Calif. – For once, it looked like the stars were aligning for the punch-above-their-weight Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing team and its driver, the talented 23-year-old Josef Newgarden.

The third year Verizon IndyCar Series driver was on pace for potentially his first series win, or a near certain podium finish, Sunday in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. But, as has been written elsewhere here on MotorSportsTalk in the last 24 hours, it went begging after contact from Ryan Hunter-Reay at an abnormal spot to pass on the circuit, the tight right-handed Turn 4.

Here’s Newgarden’s interview to NBCSN in case you missed it:

Still, here’s what makes Newgarden such a boss. He has the joie de vivre of a 12-year-old and the maturity level of someone three times that when it comes to proper perspective on the situation.

Just check out these two tweets.

So the best part of my day was making a new friend. His name is Dominic, he is battling ALS, and he is the coolest person I have ever met.

— Josef Newgarden (@josefnewgarden) April 14, 2014

As far as the racing goes, the good news is that everyone knows who showed up to race this weekend -> @sfhrindy. Cheers boys!

— Josef Newgarden (@josefnewgarden) April 14, 2014

You really can’t be any classier than that. And that’s coming after one of his best ever weekends in IndyCar.

A career-best qualifying effort of fourth on Saturday came after he and the SFHR team bounced back from a slight incident in first practice. Then his race Sunday was a methodical run in the top five, culminating with the team’s final pit stop that got him out ahead of Hunter-Reay for the final stint.

I’ve written this before, but his time will come. And probably sooner rather than later.

And this is @JosefNewgarden once again showing why he is mature beyond his years, so diplomatic and classy. His day will come #IndyCar

— Tony DiZinno (@tonydizinno) April 13, 2014

Follow @TonyDiZinno

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship contender Tom Blomqvist put the Meyer Shank Racing Acura at the front of the starting lineup for the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Road Atlanta.

Blomqvist turned a 1-minute, 8.55-second lap on the 2.54-mile circuit Friday to capture his third pole position for MSR this season. Earl Bamber qualified second in the No. 02 Cadillac for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Ricky Taylor was third in the No. 10 Acura of Wayne Taylor Racing, which enters Saturday’s season finale with a 19-point lead over the No. 60 of Blomqvist and Oliver Jarvis (who will be joined by Helio Castroneves) for the 10-hour race.

PETIT LE MANS STARTING GRID: Click here for the starting lineup l Lineup by car number

PETIT LE MANS: Info on how to watch

With the pole, MSR sliced the deficit to 14 points behind WTR, which will field the trio of Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque and Brendon Hartley in Saturday’s race.

“We really needed to put the car in this kind of position,” Blomqvist said. “It makes our life a little less stressful tomorrow. It would have given the No. 10 a bit more breathing space. It’s going to be a proper dogfight tomorrow. The guys gave me such a great car. It’s been fantastic this week so far, and it really came alive. I’m hugely thankful to the boys and girls at MSR for giving me the wagon today to execute my job.

“That was a big effort from me. I knew how important it was. It’s just awesome for the guys to give them some sort of reward as well. It’s always nice to be quick. If you do the pole, you know you’ve got a quick car.”

Though WTR has a series-leading four victories with the No. 10, MSR won the Rolex 24 at Daytona and has five runner-up finishes along with its three poles.

The strong performances of the ARX-05s ensure that an Acura will win the final championship in IMSA’s premier Daytona Prototype international (DPi) division, which is being rebranded as Grand Touring Prototype in the move to LMDh cars next season.

Taylor qualified third despite sliding into the Turn 5 gravel during the closing minutes of qualifying while pushing to gain points.

“Qualifying was important for points,” Taylor said. “Going into it, if we outqualified the No. 60 Meyer Shank Acura, they had a lot to lose in terms of championship points. So, we were trying to increase the gap over 20 points which would’ve made a big difference for tomorrow. We would have loved to get the pole and qualify ahead of the No. 60, but in the scheme of the points, it didn’t change a whole lot. I’m feeling good since it’s such a long race, and the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura team does such a good job strategizing and putting us in a good position.

“I’m very confident in our lineup and our team compared to them over the course of 10 hours. I’d put my two teammates up against those guys any day. I think we are all feeling optimistic and strong for tomorrow.”

In other divisions, PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports (LMP2), Riley Motorsports (LMP3), VasserSullivan (GTD Pro) and Paul Miller Racing (GTD) captured pole positions.

The broadcast of the 10-hour race will begin Saturday at 12:10 p.m. ET on NBC, moving at 3 p.m. to USA Network.

QUALIFYING

Results

Results by class

Fastest lap by driver

Fastest lap by driver after qualifying

Fastest lap by driver and class after qualifying

Fastest lap sequence in qualifying

Best sector times in qualifying

Time cards in qualifying

PRACTICE RESULTS: Session I l Session II l Session III