Josef Newgarden Takes Viewers Behind the Scenes of IndyCar in "100 Days to Indy"

"I thought it was great that we were going to produce a documentary series, in real-time, about the personalities within our sport," he continued. "Because I know it so well, I thought it was something captivating and interesting. I was all on board for them trying to put this together and showcase to the world what IndyCar is.

"[We] have some very interesting characters with totally different lives and ways they approach their profession," he added. "That’s the interesting bit. I think for the good of our sport, and interest in our sport, it’s necessary. It was one of those deals where as long as they were going to be respectful and knew where the line [was], I'm okay with it. The other thing I love about this is that they haven't manipulated anything. The first episode shows everything as is, which was critical for me. If you have an interesting product, then you shouldn't have to manipulate it."

With a large part of the series focusing on the personal worlds of its drivers (outside of the track), Newgarden knew what he was in for. However, that component of the series was an adjustment. "That part is quite difficult," he shared. "I'm very much an introvert and it's not in my natural tendency to be as open as the show wants to be. In my mind, it's a necessary evil, but it's going to be good to showcase the lives of the people within our sport. It's much more compelling and interesting when you see the behind-the-scenes of what our lives are actually like."

An endearing element of the series is its exploration of the camaraderie between the teammates, who although intensely competitive limit most of their rivalry to the track. "With most sports you have intense rivalries," he explained. "You have people that compete and never speak, or maybe it's very contentious, but racing is a little different, particularly within your own team. There are three drivers at Team Penske, and we have to work together as one team -- but while competing, my teammate is also my competition. It's a very conflicting relationship when you look at inter-team dynamics.

"Beyond that, there’s a lot of respect amongst the drivers because it's such an inherently risky sport," he added. "You do feel a responsibility to your fellow drivers to do the right thing by them. We speak about the dangers of the [sport] that are always potentially there, and I feel a sense of responsibility protecting them while protecting myself. It's very competitive, but there's a different layer of respect in our sport than maybe another."

That level of risk is also highlighted, with mechanical issues often proving just as devastating as a pile-up on the track. "Mechanical things are pretty soul-crushing," Newgarden explained. "It's the build-up, the amount of time we put into the week planning and prepping for that race day, so it's a whole crescendo that comes crashing down when something breaks. But it also humanizes the sport outside of just the driver. A lot of people believe racing is a singular sport when it's really a team. It's not just down to me doing the greatest job and being the best driver on the day we have to be the best as a team."

The level of camaraderie is echoed by the spouses (and partners) of the drivers, who throughout the series do express their concerns for loved ones. Newgarden and his wife Ashley are new parents, and as a result of that, perspectives do change. "Things on track haven't changed," he said. "We have these jokes that once you have a kid you just slow down, and the more kids you have the slower you go. I've not found that to be true. But it does change your perspective. Having a son now, the things I'd be very intense about, that probably didn't matter, I now just let go. I'm almost less stressed just because it's given me perspective on what really matters in life, so that aspect has been very nice personally."

As for his son following in his footsteps, Newgarden said he will cross that finish line when the time comes. "I struggle with that," he admitted. "We want to expose him to everything and let him decide what he likes. I don't want him racing just because I was, so if he loves it and wants to [race], I'll support him."

With the Indianapolis 500 happening on May 28, Newgarden assures viewers it will feature in the series. "We start with the pre-season," he said in closing. "They're shooting this in real-time, so you'll see the Indianapolis 500 basically at the end of May."

100 Days to Indy will be telecast Thursdays at 9 p.m. on The CW.

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