Newly crowned Verizon IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden finished second in his No. 2 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet at the season finale in Sonoma in September, a result which was enough to net him the No. 1 position in IndyCar.
Now, following on from his two Team Penske teammates Will Power (2015) and Simon Pagenaud (2017), he’ll also run the champion’s No. 1 in the following season the year after winning his title.
Team Penske confirmed the news today via a fun social media video, where Pagenaud passed off a “champion’s to-do list” as the passing of the torch and champion’s number.
It’s 11/1. There’s just something about No. 1. #INDYCAR pic.twitter.com/EZnE1UMJKg
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) November 1, 2017
Pagenaud ran the No. 22 his first two years at Team Penske in 2015 and 2016, and would seem likely to go back to that next year - although Newgarden’s No. 2 would be available if desired.
Pagenaud is the best finishing driver with the No. 1 in recent years, coming second to Newgarden last year in the championship standings. Power ran the No. 1 in 2015 and finished third; Ryan Hunter-Reay ran the No. 1 in 2013 and finished seventh. Scott Dixon, the four-time champion, ran the No. 1 only once in his career - in 2004 - and finished 10th.
The last champion who defended his crown with the No. 1 was Sebastien Bourdais, who won the Champ Car title in 2004 as No. 2 and then won three more thereafter in the No. 1 from 2005 through 2007, before Champ Car and IndyCar merged in 2008.
And IndyCar’s last repeat champion is Dario Franchitti, who never ran the No. 1 even though he won four titles. He won in 2007 in IndyCar, then in 2009 through 2011.
How will Newgarden fare running the 1? Only time will tell.