Drivers Ed Carpenter and Josef Newgarden Set Their Sights on a Podium Finish at Pocono Raceway

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (August 16, 2016) – Preview Notes

– The second and final 500-mile race of the year awaits Ed Carpenter Racing’s drivers at Pocono Raceway this weekend. Josef Newgarden and team owner Ed Carpenter will take on the 2.5-mile, three-turn triangular oval nicknamed “The Tricky Triangle” in Long Pond, Penn. on Sunday, Aug. 21.

– Newgarden finished second in the 2015 ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway after leading 47 laps. At the Indianapolis 500, the other 500-mile race this season, Newgarden started second, led 14 laps and finished third.

– The Verizon IndyCar Series is coming off its longest break between events since the middle of June. Despite the three-week gap between the most recent race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and the upcoming event at Pocono, ECR drivers kept their skills sharp with plenty of testing. Carpenter tested at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway during the break, while Newgarden tested at Pocono and Watkins Glen International.

– Pocono Raceway returned to the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule in 2013. Both Newgarden and Carpenter have competed in the three events since then, with Newgarden finishing no worse than 8th. Carpenter’s best finish, a 9th place, came in 2013. This year will mark the 23rd year of Indy car racing at the track nestled in the Pocono Mountains.

– Carpenter started last year’s 200-lap race from the 21st position, but quickly moved into the Top 10. He remained there until he was hit from behind by another competitor, causing the left rear bumper pod to fly off and cause a debris caution. The crew quickly changed Carpenter’s rear wing, though the new one was on a different downforce setting than the old wing. Still, Carpenter persevered until Lap 156 when a mechanical failure prevented him from finishing the race.

– Last year, Newgarden earned the fourth of his four podium finishes at Pocono Raceway. He started fourth and went four-wide into Turn 1 on the first lap, taking the lead of the race – the first of the 47 laps he led during the event. He was 6th at the last restart of the race on Lap 193, but powered his way up to second. He had eventual race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay in his sights when a caution came out again on Lap 197, causing the race to end under yellow.

– While Carpenter will restart 5th when the suspended Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway resumes on August 27th, Pocono will be Newgarden’s final oval race of 2016 in the No. 21 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet. Newgarden suffered a broken clavicle and broken right hand after being taken out in a Lap 42 crash at Texas. He was back in the car 12 days after the accident and won the most recent oval race on July 10 at Iowa Speedway, leading 282 of 300 laps.

– Newgarden currently sits 4th in the Verizon IndyCar Series point standings, just nine points of 3rd. Carpenter drives the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet during the oval events, while Spencer Pigot gets behind the wheel for the road and street course events.

– Practice and qualifying for the ABC Supply 500 will take place on Saturday, August 20. The 500-mile race will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 21.

ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S ULTRA PREMIUM VODKA CHEVROLET: “I am very excited to get back to Pocono! We had a very good test there a few weeks ago, so I am encouraged about our race cars and the type of results that we can get. We are into the home stretch of the season, so time is running out to make the most of our opportunities. I feel good about our chances of putting two Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolets on the podium this weekend.”

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 21 FUZZY’S ULTRA PREMIUM VODKA CHEVROLET: “I am super excited for Pocono! It’s one of the trickiest places we go, “The Tricky Triangle” is such a fitting name! I think we’ll have a great car. We had a really good test with both of the Fuzzy’s Vodka cars. We should have a good opportunity to challenge for the win as we close out our oval program this year. I am eager to see how we do!”