Home / Sport / Motorsport / IndyCar Series / 2026 / Good Ranchers 250

Event

Good Ranchers 250

Date
Sat 7th March 2026 (UTC)
Sat 7th March 2026 (Local)

Timestamp
2026-03-07T20:00:00

Time

20:00:00 UTC (13:00:00 Local)

Poster

Your Rating (Click a star below)

Star off icon

Total Rating
(0 users)

Thumb

Square Poster

League
IndyCar Series

Season
2026

Round
2

Status
Match Finished

Location
Phoenix Raceway

Video Highlights

Play on YouTube

Event Statistics

Description

The Good Ranchers 250 marks a historic moment for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as it returns to Phoenix Raceway for the first time since 2018. As the second round of the 2026 season, this race serves as the first oval test of the year, challenging drivers with the unique, high-speed demands of the "Desert Jewel." Unlike the street circuit opener in St. Petersburg, Phoenix requires a delicate balance of mechanical grip and aerodynamic efficiency, especially through the infamous "dogleg" where cars often fan out four-wide.

The spotlight is on David Malukas, who secured a career-defining pole position for Team Penske, leading a formidable front-row lockout alongside teammate Josef Newgarden. Newgarden, a master of short ovals, looks to challenge the early momentum of championship leader Alex Palou, who enters the weekend fresh off a dominant season-opening victory. With veterans like Scott Dixon and Graham Rahal utilizing their rare previous experience at this track, and rookies like Mick Schumacher starting in the top five, the 250-lap sprint is expected to be a high-speed chess match under the Arizona sun.

Reports

Result List

01	Josef Newgarden	01:51:14.4657
02	Kyle Kirkwood	01:51:16.2594
03	David Malukas	01:51:17.3069
04	Pato O'Ward	01:51:18.3975
05	Marcus Armstrong	01:51:20.9472
06	Alexander Rossi	01:51:21.7568
07	Scott Dixon	01:51:22.6304
08	Scott McLaughlin	01:51:24.3443
09	Graham Rahal	01:51:24.9347
10	Kyffin Simpson	01:51:26.5963
11	Santino Ferrucci	01:51:31.3017
12	Felix Rosenqvist	01:51:31.6796
13	Christian Lundgaard	01:51:32.1241
14	Christian Rasmussen	01:51:32.7519
15	Dennis Hauger	01:51:33.4397
16	Will Power	01:51:33.1071
17	Marcus Ericsson	01:51:34.0977
18	Mick Schumacher	01:51:34.9878
19	Caio Collet	01:51:36.1321
20	Nolan Siegel	01:51:35.3306
21	Sting Ray Robb	01:51:36.8855
22	Rinus VeeKay	01:51:32.6567
23	Louis Foster	DNF
24	Alex Palou	DNF
25	Romain Grosjean	DNF

Result Description

1 /Josef Newgarden /Team Penske /01:51:14.4657
2 /Kyle Kirkwood /Andretti Global w/ Curb-Agajanian /01:51:16.2594
3 /David Malukas /Team Penske /01:51:17.3069
4 /Pato O'Ward /Arrow McLaren /01:51:18.3975
5 /Marcus Armstrong /Meyer Shank w/ Curb-Agajanian /01:51:20.9472
6 /Alexander Rossi /ECR /01:51:21.7568
7 /Scott Dixon /Chip Ganassi Racing /01:51:22.6304
8 /Scott McLaughlin /Team Penske /01:51:24.3443
9 /Graham Rahal /Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing /01:51:24.9347
10 /Kyffin Simpson /Chip Ganassi Racing /01:51:26.5963
11 /Santino Ferrucci /A.J. Foyt Enterprises /01:51:31.3017
12 /Felix Rosenqvist /Meyer Shank w/ Curb-Agajanian /01:51:31.6796
13 /Christian Lundgaard /Arrow McLaren /01:51:32.1241
14 /Christian Rasmussen /ECR /01:51:32.7519
15 /Dennis Hauger /Dale Coyne Racing /01:51:33.4397
16 /Will Power /Andretti Global /01:51:33.1071
17 /Marcus Ericsson /Andretti Global /01:51:34.0977
18 /Mick Schumacher /Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing /01:51:34.9878
19 /Caio Collet /A.J. Foyt Enterprises /01:51:36.1321
20 /Nolan Siegel /Arrow McLaren /01:51:35.3306
21 /Sting Ray Robb /Juncos Hollinger Racing /01:51:36.8855
22 /Rinus VeeKay /Juncos Hollinger Racing /01:51:32.6567
23 /Louis Foster /Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing /DNF
24 /Alex Palou /Chip Ganassi Racing /DNF
25 /Romain Grosjean /Dale Coyne Racing /DNF

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top 10 Driver Standings after Round 2
Pos /Driver /Team /Points

1 /Josef Newgarden /Team Penske /78
2 /Kyle Kirkwood /Andretti Global w/ Curb-Agajanian /73
3 /Scott McLaughlin /Team Penske /66
4 /Pato O'Ward /Arrow McLaren /63
5 /Alex Palou /Chip Ganassi Racing /59
6 /David Malukas /Team Penske /56
7 /Christian Lundgaard /Arrow McLaren /54
8 /Marcus Armstrong /Meyer Shank w/ Curb-Agajanian /50
9 /Marcus Ericsson /Andretti Global /43
10 /Alexander Rossi /ECR /42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Josef Newgarden proved why he is the master of the ovals, executing a flawless late-race charge to win the 2026 Good Ranchers 250. The Team Penske driver took the lead with just seven laps remaining, capitalizing on a strategic tire gamble during the final caution. Newgarden, who had been hovering in the top five most of the afternoon, found a "rocket ship" second wind on fresher rubber, slicing through the leaders to secure his 33rd career victory. The win marks a perfect return to the desert for Newgarden, who was also the last driver to win at Phoenix back in 2018.

The race was defined by the heartbreak of Christian Rasmussen, who led a race-high 69 laps and appeared to be cruising toward a maiden victory. However, a late-race collision with Will Power while battling for the lead damaged Rasmussen’s car and triggered the caution that ultimately played into Newgarden's hands. While Rasmussen managed to limp home for a top-ten finish, the podium was rounded out by a resilient Kyle Kirkwood in second and pole-sitter David Malukas in third. Meanwhile, championship leader Alex Palou saw his points lead evaporate after a rare mistake led to a heavy mid-race crash in Turn 2, opening the door for Newgarden to take the early-season standings lead.

Collections
None found...

Popular Tweets

Fanart