Pato O’Ward overtakes ‘King of Corn Country’ in Synk 275 win

Pato O’Ward was nipping at the cape of the King of Corn Country throughout most of the IndyCar Synk 275 at the Iowa Speedway, but with only 45 laps to go he managed to overtake Josef Newgarden in a pit exchange and held on to the lead, taking home his second win at the Newton racetrack.

It was O’Ward’s first win of the IndyCar season, and his second career win at the Iowa Speedway. In 2022, he clinched the win after Newgarden lost his lead after a crash. During the Synk 275, O’Ward found himself behind Newgarden once again but took the lead as the race neared its end.

“He’s one of the guys that when you’re behind he tries to outsmart you definitely,” O’Ward told reporters after the race. “He’s been running ovals for more than I’ve been in the series. That experience only comes with laps. He’s also very strong here, so I knew we had to be perfect. We capitalized on that in lap.”

Still, it was a close finish for the rival IndyCar drivers. O’Ward commented that if it wasn’t for Newgarden he would have a lot more wins, but he is also the driver he has studied the most. O’Ward said he knows how to race him, but what he has noticed is Newgarden “gets what he gives” during a race.

“If he was flirting with fire there, that’s what he got and that’s what I was going to give him,” O’Ward said of Newgarden. “You get to these points in your career you know. And for me especially today when I was behind him I said, ‘Today is the day that’s going to change.’”

Historically, Newgarden dominates the Iowa Speedway. He has won six races at the fastest short track on the planet, and he has completed more laps at Iowa Speedway than any other driver. He is also the first IndyCar driver to lead more than 2,000 laps at one track.

The two drivers have seen each other on podiums plenty of times.

“A lot of ones and twos, and a lot of those ones and twos I’ve been two,” O’Ward said with a laugh. “It’s way nicer and a way better feeling when you’re No. 1. I know how to race him. He’s probably the guy that I know how he races the most and I’ve studied the most, because he’s the one I’ve been behind the most.”