---
title: "IndyCar Phoenix Grand Prix: Drivers’ Post-Race Reactions on Social Media"
description: "The battle for the podium in the closing stages of the IndyCar race delivered primo social media posts."
date: "2018-04-08"
modified: "2018-04-08"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19976/indycar-phoenix-grand-prix-drivers-post-race-reactions-on-social-media"
categories:
  - "News"
  - "Racing"
tags:
  - "Alexander Rossi"
  - "Indycar Series"
  - "James Hinchcliffe"
  - "Josef Newgarden"
  - "Phoenix International Speedway"
  - "racing"
  - "Robert Wickens"
---

# IndyCar Phoenix Grand Prix: Drivers’ Post-Race Reactions on Social Media

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/04/16c0760-1.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

The second race of the 2018 IndyCar racing season is now in the books, and the 1.022-mile oval of ISM Raceway delivered a thrilling race following an incredible [season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19143/sebastien-bourdais-wins-a-dramatic-indycar-grand-prix-of-st-petersburg>).

This time it was Team Penske's Josef Newgarden who piloted his Chevy-powered racer to victory lane at the [2018 IndyCar Grand Prix of Phoenix](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19974/penskes-ace-pit-strategy-earns-newgarden-2018-indycar-grand-prix-of-phoenix-victory>), following a last-minute call to pit for fresh tires during the second and final caution period of the race. The fresh rubber allowed the Tennessee-native to catapult past IndyCar rookie Robert Wickens, who despite having a strong contender, didn't have the grip necessary to maintain the lead.

With just three laps to go, Newgarden conquered his first win of the year, delegating Wickens to second and Andretti Autosport's Alexander Rossi to third. Of course, the reactions of fans poured into social media, but so did the drivers'.

### Josef Newgarden - First Place

https://twitter.com/_/status/982835406386483200

The [IndyCar reigning champion](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19783/indycars-simon-pagenaud-and-josef-newgarden-involved-in-legit-autograph-war>) did everything he had to do to climb to the top step of the podium. He drove well, he passed well, and he listened to his race engineer when it was time to gamble and dive into the pits.

### Robert Wickens - Second Place

https://twitter.com/_/status/982756380028256256

Sadly, the Canadian racing driver didn't get to enjoy his first podium finish in his [second IndyCar career start](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19153/alexander-rossi-and-robert-wickens-indycar-collision-whos-to-blame>). Wickens was extremely saddened by the news of a bus crashing and killing 10 young amateur hockey players and 15 people total in Saskatchewan, Canada.

### Alexander Rossi - Third Place

https://twitter.com/_/status/982878569473835009

The [amazing American](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/3750/did-winning-the-indy-500-quiet-alexander-rossis-f1-fever-dream>), as you'll see on his tweet, performed 53 passes during the 2018 IndyCar Grand Prix of Phoenix. If our math serves us right, that's about 19 percent of *all passes* performed during the race!

### James Hinchcliffe - Sixth Place

https://twitter.com/_/status/982763061596450816

Since Scott Dixon (4th) and Ryan Hunter-Reay (5th) failed to post to social media, we'll skip right over to the Mayor of Hinchtown, Canada's own James Hinchcliffe. The charismatic driver celebrated his sixth-place finish by poking fun at his fellow Canadian teammate, Robert Wickens.

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)