Pagenaud incensed by Newgarden's pass

It was a brazen move, the kind that either win championships, alienates your teammate or possibly gets you put on double secret probation from The Captain.

But Josef Newgarden is trying to win his first Verizon IndyCar Series championship, and he did what young, talented, bold racers do on Saturday night.

He went for it.

Simon Pagenaud had the lead as he and Newgarden crossed the start/finish line to begin Lap 218. Pagenaud moved down and left a little tiny opening going into Turn 1. But there was just enough room for Newgarden to squeeze alongside in his Team Penske PPG Chevrolet. They bumped, Pagenaud skated up the track and the 26-year-old wunderkind led the final 30 laps and drove off with his fourth win of 2017.

WOW!@JosefNewgardensqueezes by on the inside!#INDYCAR#Bommarito500https://t.co/1I2Xejdij6pic.twitter.com/CSFqcAVRrW— IndyCar Series (@IndyCar)August 27, 2017

His move increased his point lead to 31 over Scott Dixon, who worked his usual magic and finished second in the Chip Ganassi Racing NTT Data Honda. It also thrilled the enthusiastic crowd of 40,000 and pissed off Pagenaud.

"[Newgarden] doesn't have any respect for me and he's lucky it was me or we'd have both been in the wall," fumed the 2016 IndyCar champion. "If that had been a road course it was a beautiful pass but we were going 190 mph.

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"There was a bit of a bump and then I was just trying to stay off the wall. I lost all my momentum and that's when Scott got by me."

Newgarden, who led 170 of the 248 laps, didn't see it quite like that.

"I was surprised he left me a lane and if he leaves me a gap I'm going to take it," said the freshman of the four-team Penske armada. "I had a great tow and he knew I was coming. I didn't want to touch him too hard and I kinda figured he might back off when I was alongside.

"I know people enjoy late passes for the lead and I think they enjoyed that one."

Roger Penske, who always allows his drivers to race each other with no team orders, had a sheepish grin afterward.

"It was a helluva move and I think the people liked it."