Newgarden co-drove within the 10-hour sportscar traditional, which ended the 2023 IMSA SportsCar Championship on Saturday, with Felipe Nasr and Matt Campbell in a Porsche Penske Motorsport 963. They completed fourth within the LMDh machine, which additionally races within the World Endurance Championship with the manufacturing unit Penske squad.
When requested if he’d wish to race at Le Mans, Newgarden replied: “I’d like to. I believe any racer would love the chance to compete at Le Mans. At first, this occasion [Petit Le Mans] can be on that record, so to begin right here is a good honour.
“It’s plenty of new issues for me, driving the automotive, the circuit kind, and clearly the racing fashion. This was an enormous alternative, however for the longer term, after all, there are plenty of races I’d love to take action we’ll have to attend and see.
“I simply really feel actually, actually Positive in regards to the miles and the expertise this weekend. Heaps to remove for the longer term, feeling good about that. I’ve completed plenty of work right here. I believe it will repay for the longer term.”
#8 Tower Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07: John Farano, Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, Kyffin Simpson
Photograph by: Richard Dole / Motorsport Images
Newgarden’s earlier sportscar expertise got here from the season-opening Daytona 24 Hours, the place he completed fifth within the LMP2 class, sharing a Tower Motorsports Oreca with IndyCar team-mate Scott McLaughlin.
However this step up in school meant he was capable of contend for the general race win, probably opening the door to extra races within the Porsche.
“The staff has completed an incredible job all yr and I simply wanna plug in and be a small contributing issue, hopefully in a Positive method,” Newgarden mentioned.
“I am an enormous fan of this staff, I wanna see Porsche succeed and would like to have, , extra alternatives and to be part of it and assist the expansion.
“So, I am wanting to do this.”
#7 Group Penske Porsche 963: Matt Campbell, Felipe Nasr, Josef Newgarden
Photograph by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
When Motorsport.com requested Team Penske’s president Tim Cindric whether or not Newgarden or his different IndyCar drivers, McLaughlin and Will Power, might drive the 963 on the Le Mans 24 Hours in future, he mentioned he didn’t see it occurring any time quickly.
“That’s too far down the street,” mentioned Cindric. “I don’t see Le Mans being in this system, I believe that’s a stretch. We bought sufficient drivers proper now.”
PPM’s Jonathan Diuguid informed Autosport that the explanation for together with Newgarden was “to attempt to see what he might add to the group” and when requested if McLaughlin or Energy could possibly be concerned too, he replied: “They haven’t completed any testing however as for what the longer term holds, it’s fairly open.
“Clearly we have now 4 automobiles operating completely within the championships and we’re taking a look at third entries the place they’re granted and out there. However, proper now, there aren’t any plans for any further drives for any Penske IndyCar drivers.”