What Do Josef Newgarden, Team Penske Have To Do To Win Races?

NEWTON, Iowa — Josef Newgarden led a combined 304 laps at Iowa Speedway over the weekend.

He doesn’t have too much to show for it.

Josef Newgarden during INDYCAR Race Weekend Race 1 at Iowa Speedway 

Yes, he finished second in Saturday's race. But when a driver leads 232 of 275 laps, that driver believes that a trophy should accompany the effort. 

On Sunday, he still had arguably the best car but circumstances resulted in him leading 72 laps and finishing 10th.

Those results show what everyone has seen all year: Penske cars do have speed but execution and other bad luck have soured their season.

After a 2-3-4 finish Saturday with Newgarden, Will Power and Scott McLaughlin, they finished 10-24-26 in the second race of the weekend doubleheader. That was after Power had an engine issue for the second consecutive week and McLaughlin crashed when Devlin DeFrancesco got loose underneath him.

"We just have to keep doing what you are doing," Newgarden said. "Team Penske is working incredibly hard. [Saturday] was a good day for everybody. You could see the spirits lift.

"They don't need to change what they are doing. They are doing a great job. They brought a fast car here again today."

Scott McLaughlin talks with Chevrolet engineer and Ben Bretzman during the INDYCAR Series Race Weekend (Race 2) at Iowa 

It could be argued that no matter what's occurring, doing the same thing would produce the same results. 

Power is eighth in the standings, McLaughlin is 12th and Newgarden sits in 14th.

"I have zero doubt in our process and what we do," Newgarden said earlier in the weekend after winning the pole for the Saturday race. "I've been here a long time. I've worked with the best of the best.

"We have really good people. Still do.