IndyCar: 5 drivers who should attempt the Memorial Day Double

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AVONDALE, AZ – APRIL 06: Josef Newgarden, driver of the #1 Team Penske Chevrolet IndyCar (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Josef Newgarden

Josef Newgarden, 27, is the defending IndyCar champion, and he is in a perfect position to become the first full-time IndyCar driver to attempt the Memorial Day Double during his IndyCar career, as he drives for Team Penske, one of two teams with full-time teams in both IndyCar and the NASCAR Cup Series. Team Penske is a great team for him to drive for since he could drive for them in both races of the Memorial Day Double.

Newgarden currently leads the IndyCar championship standings in his #1 Chevrolet despite the fact that Chevrolet drivers have struggled mightily through four races so far this season. In fact, only three of the 24 top six positions have gone to Chevrolet drivers, with Newgarden having taken two of those three top six positions in his two victories.

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In the top nine in the championship standings, there is only one Chevrolet driver, and as stated above, that driver is Josef Newgarden. He has shown that he can compete at a high level regardless of what other Chevrolet drivers are able to accomplish.

While Team Penske run cars with Chevrolet engines in IndyCar, they run Ford Fusions in the Cup Series. So far this season, the Ford teams have seemed to have the upper hand, as Ford drivers are positioned in six of the top seven spots in the Cup Series championship standings. Ironically, the only non-Ford driver in the top seven in the standings is the Toyota driver, Kyle Busch, who is leading the standings, much like the only non-Honda driver in the top nine in the IndyCar standings is Newgarden, who leads the standings in his Chevrolet.

If Newgarden had the chance to test a stock car and practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway for several hours before the Coca-Cola 600, he could certainly put together a solid race in a Team Penske Ford, much like he has done in IndyCar in his Team Penske Chevrolet.

Newgarden has admitted that he would love to drive in NASCAR, particularly in the Coca-Cola 600 to attempt the Memorial Day Double. Here is what he had to say about the matter.

"“You know, I’d love to. I really get a kick out of the NASCAR stuff. I think it’s so fascinating because it’s so different to me; it’s not my background. To me, that’s very exciting. It’s something new, it’s something to learn about, it’s something to try to master, and I would love to get an opportunity to go over there. “[The Memorial Day Double] is even that I’d love to try to do in the future. I can’t get ahead of myself. Roger [Penske] hired me to drive IndyCars and to do well in their IndyCar program and represent that and I think if we continue to do that down the road, I’m hoping I can twist his arm and get him to put me in some of the NASCAR stuff at some point.”"

Next: Top 10 IndyCar drivers of all-time

Who are the IndyCar drivers who you believe should attempt the Memorial Day Double? Are any of them discussed in this article? When do you think that the next Memorial Day Double attempt will take place? Will it be a full-time IndyCar driver who makes the attempt?