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IndyCar: Top-Five Championship Contenders In 2017

By Asher Fair

Aug 27, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Chip Ganassi Racing Team driver Scott Dixon (9) of New Zealand and Team Penske driver Will Power (12) of Australia and Rahal Letterman Racing driver Graham Rahal (15) of United Statesi and Ed Carpenter Racing driver Ed Carpenter (20) of United States and Chip Ganassi Racing Team driver Tony Kanaan (10) of Brazil during the Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 27, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Chip Ganassi Racing Team driver Scott Dixon (9) of New Zealand and Team Penske driver Will Power (12) of Australia and Rahal Letterman Racing driver Graham Rahal (15) of United Statesi and Ed Carpenter Racing driver Ed Carpenter (20) of United States and Chip Ganassi Racing Team driver Tony Kanaan (10) of Brazil during the Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 4, 2016; Watkins Glen, NY, USA; Verizon Indy Car Series driver Josef Newgarden (21) races at Watkins Glen International. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2016; Watkins Glen, NY, USA; Verizon Indy Car Series driver Josef Newgarden (21) races at Watkins Glen International. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1: Josef Newgarden, Team Penske

This is an upset pick, but at the same time, it isn’t. Newgarden is now with Team Penske, the top team in the sport, and he will have far more resources available to him now than he did at Ed Carpenter Racing.

He still finished in 4th in the standings at Ed Carpenter Racing last season, which was the highest finishing position of any non-Penske car. Now with Penske, that will put him in the mix to win it all.

Or will it? When Simon Pagenaud came to Team Penske in 2015, a lot of people saw him as the favorite to win it all. However, he finished in 11th place in the standings. Newgarden will have that same amount of pressure on him, but as we saw last season, he has an amazing killer instinct and can win no matter what.

Must Read: Four IndyCar Drivers That Will Surprise You In 2017

Just two weeks after a massive wreck at Texas, Newgarden returned to Road America and finished in 8th place after starting in the back of the field. He then won two weeks after that at Iowa. If any driver is going to overcome pain and adversity (in this case, growing pains), it’s Newgarden. With his skill-set combined with driving for Team Penske aside of three of the other top drivers in the sport, Newgarden is the driver that has the best chance to win the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series championship.