Josef Newgarden wins rain-delayed Indy race

Josef Newgarden started on the pole for the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and led almost the entire way, winning the rain-delayed race Monday for the third time in four years.

With a sizable lead and showers starting anew, Newgarden made his second pit stop with about 15 minutes left in the timed race to switch to rain tires. Contenders such as Sebastien Bourdais and runner-up Ryan Hunter-Reay remained on the track while the rain soaked the course.

“We could have stayed out like them, too, but for us it made no sense,” said Newgarden, the defending IndyCar champion, who took over the points lead with his second win in the first four races. “We had everything to lose, they had everything to gain. So I don’t blame them with what they did. It would have been their race to win if it stopped raining at that point because they would have been able to make it work.”

Alexander Rossi entered with the points lead after winning at Long Beach but finished 11th.