Newgarden Earns 9th Place Finish; Filippi Finishes 10th

(AVONDALE, La.) April 12, 2015 – Race Recap

– Both CFH Racing drivers earned Top 10 results in a caution-filled inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana. Only one green flag lap was completed after Lap 15 as a result of multiple accidents and cars going off course. Over half of the race was run during yellow flag conditions, with 26 of the 47 laps in today’s event being scored under caution.

– Josef Newgarden of Nashville, Tenn. finished 9th in today’s timed Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana in the No. 67 Hartman Oil Chevrolet.

– Italian Luca Filippi drove his No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet to his second Top 10 finish in as many races with a 10th place result at NOLA Motorsports Park.

– The start of the race was moved up to 1:45 p.m. local time in an effort to miss the worst of the weather conditions. Despite the heavy rain that washed out the morning warmup, track officials were able to ready the circuit in time for the race. The Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana was originally scheduled to be a 75-lap event, but was changed to a timed race of one hour and 45 minutes.

– Qualifications were cancelled yesterday due to heavy rain and lightning. As the field was set by points, Filippi started in the race from the 9th position and Newgarden started in 12th.

– Both CFH Racing cars completed two pit stops during the race. The top four cars were on a different strategy and today’s winner, James Hinchcliffe, was able to complete the race on one stop with the benefit extended caution periods.

– Filippi remains 9th in the Verizon IndyCar Series point standings with 42 points. Newgarden moved up one position and is now 11th overall with 40 points.

– CFH Racing will return to their Speedway, Ind. workshop for one day before heading to this weekend’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, held April 17-19 in the downtown streets of Long Beach, Calif.

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 67 HARTMAN OIL CHEVROLET, FINISHED 9TH: “The thing I am happy about is that we got a Top 10 on a difficult day. It could have gone a lot better for us. We struggled a little bit on the wet, but when it was going dry we were very strong and we didn’t get to capitalize on that. Too many cautions, too many yellows, and it just didn’t play in our favor. That’s racing, sometimes it falls your way and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m just happy we managed a Top 10, that’s good points but obviously leaves us wanting more. We will regroup, go to Long Beach, and keep chasing it.”

LUCA FILIPPI, NO. 20 FUZZY’S VODKA CHEVROLET, FINISHED 10TH: “I think we did everything right. Both Josef (Newgarden) and I were probably going to have a top seven or eight finish. Obviously, a few people got very lucky on the strategy in the middle of race. But another Top 10 finish is okay, especially on a strange day like this. Today’s finish was not quite what we were looking for, but it’s a solid way to continue our championship.”