Newgarden, McLaughlin test Porsche 963 at Daytona

Team Penske IndyCar drivers Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden got back behind the wheel of the Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 for the first time since the February IMSA Sanctioned Test at Sebring at Daytona this week.

And while nothing has been confirmed yet regarding their participation at the upcoming 2026 Rolex 24 At Daytona, both drivers sought to put in a good account for themselves in the hopes of securing a drive in one of the two factory Porsche prototypes.

“It'd be fun,” Newgarden said, when asked about returning to the Rolex 24 in January. “I loved being here. I think I've done it twice now, would love to do more. It's very historic, it's an honor to drive at the Rolex, just to be a part of it.

“I think it's also a great kick-off. Certainly, when you look at any other series, whether it's NASCAR, Formula 1, IndyCar, this is kind of the first up on the docket, so it's nice to get a warm-up.

“It's a good race to set yourself up for hopefully a great season, and [I] always enjoy the atmosphere to be back at the track. So I would love to be here.”

At Daytona, he got behind the wheel of the Porsche 963 for the first time since its latest Evo ‘joker’ update was deployed – and on Michelin’s new Hypercar tire compounds. Newgarden completed 43 laps on Friday and set a best lap of 1m36.526s.

“It feels better than last time I was in it,” Newgarden said after the first session. “I think they've taken a good step. I'll leave that to [Team President] Jonathan Diuguid to speak to, but the car, to me, just feels better in all respects compared to when I drove it last. It's more consistent, feels more capable. So I think the development steps that they've taken feel really positive so far.”

On the new tire, he added, “I think they've [Michelin] done a really nice job, at least from what I've experienced in the past. This one feels more stable, feels easier to get up to temp, feels more forgiving, feels like it's not as particular on where it wants to be loaded. It can certainly take a little bit more combined loading. So just seems like a friendlier tire overall.”

Newgarden, of course, won the Rolex 24 in 2024 with co-drivers Dane Cameron, Felipe Nasr, and Matt Campbell. But his minimal contributions behind the wheel in that race were heavily scrutinized as he drove only two stints, and was off the pace of his co-drivers.

But he was very much at peace with it as part of the winning crew. “I think what I experienced the last time I was here, it was, ‘it's not my job to be the A driver’,” he explained.

“It was more like being a proud sibling in a lot of ways – I remember when we won the race, I was more just proud of the work that everybody else did. I mean, I didn't contribute much. I did my very tiny part. But obviously, the race was won on the backs of the team, the manufacturer, and then the other drivers that do this full-time, they sort of rose to the occasion when it mattered. And to be the one watching it instead of doing it is a different feeling, but it makes you just as happy and fulfilled.

“I'm used to everything being on my shoulders from a driving standpoint. I've never experienced being on the other end of that where someone else is rising to the occasion, and maybe they're more capable on that day to rise to the occasion. You just want to see them realize it.”

Meanwhile, if his Penske teammate McLaughlin lands a ride at Daytona, it would be his first time running the Rolex 24 in a premier class car after driving a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in 2025, and the two previous years in an ORECA LMP2.

McLaughlin turned 50 laps and posted a best time of 1m36.589s, within a tenth of the best time set by Newgarden.

“It’s just a great start to the year,” McLaughlin said of the Rolex 24. “I love this race, it gets the competitive juices flowing. And regardless of what class you’re in, whether you’re P2, GT, or outright, you’re competing for a very expensive watch at the end of it, and a cool trophy. I’ve had a blast!”

He was very satisfied after only his second time behind the wheel of a Porsche 963. “It’s cool to be back passing cars again, looking forward instead of rearward!”

“But as I said to Josef, I feel like it’s not a huge difference the P2 feel in the car. It’s interesting – it’s got a little bit more power. Obviously, I’ve driven this thing at Sebring – two completely different tracks, and it was cool to drive it here.

And since his time behind the wheel of the 963 had been so short and so long ago, he came into today’s running with a clean slate.

“It’s been so long I haven’t (felt any difference in the car). But it’s cool to just be a part of a program like this,” McLaughlin continued. “There’s a huge amount of infrastructure and people, and it’s a cool experience.

“What’s so cool about being a ‘Penske dude’ is you’re able to get these opportunities here and there, and you sort of just grab it with both hands. Regardless if it’s my last time or whatever, it’s fun to have a crack!”

Only a few months ago, McLaughlin joined Corvette Racing factory drivers Alexander Sims and Tommy Milner at the Suzuka 1000km, finishing third for Malaysian royal-owned Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR) and scoring the first podium for an American car in the history of the Japanese endurance classic. He hopes to find more opportunities to go endurance racing around his IndyCar commitments.

“I’ve said before, I love just driving. And any race I can do, any shape or form, that doesn’t affect me and my IndyCar season – which is first and foremost – I want to do it.

“I’m trying to do some other races with JMR throughout the season this year. If it works, it works, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. But we’ll see how it goes.

“I just want to get as much data as I can for the boys, and just do the best job I possibly can, and then see what happens.”