Josef Newgarden, two-time Indianapolis 500 Champion and one of IndyCar’s most dominant drivers, launched the Newgarden Family Foundation with his wife Ashley this past August. The foundation kicked off with Karting for a Cause at K1 Speed in downtown Nashville the night before the Music City Grand Prix with an event that raised $112,000 for their chosen charities. The evening brought IndyCar drivers, sponsors, and live music to a crowd ready to support what the Tennessee native and his family had been working towards.
Shell presented the night alongside a bevy of high-profile sponsors including: Team Penske, Firestone Racing, Mecum Auctions, Astemo, Borchetta Bourbon, OMP Racing, Bell Helmets, IndyCar, and Nashville Superspeedway. The partnerships turned race weekend energy into fundraising momentum, leveraging the excitement of motorsport to raise money for organizations the Newgardens had been supporting for nearly a decade.
Fellow IndyCar drivers Conor Daly and Colton Herta showed up to race karts alongside Newgarden, while country artist Chase Wright played between heats. In the karting center, a silent auction offered signed helmets and paddock experiences to bidders who wanted a piece of the racing world and a chance to contribute.The money raised was split between the Newgarden Family Foundation and Speedway Children’s Charities, Nashville.
The debut success positioned Karting for a Cause to become an annual fixture on Music City Grand Prix weekend. “Giving back and creating opportunities has always been very important to me, especially now, with a platform that allows me to do that,” Newgarden said. “Partnering with Speedway Children’s Charities for Karting for a Cause here in Nashville is the perfect opportunity to bring together the IndyCar community and my hometown to create a positive impact.” Matt Greci, general manager of Nashville Superspeedway, said the event showed what the community could deliver when given the opportunity.
Newgarden, 34, grew up in Hendersonville, about 20 minutes north of downtown Nashville. He started racing karts at 13 after his family found New Castle Motorsports Park in Indiana, a facility Mark Dismore had recently opened. Josef won the TAG World Championship in his first year of competition in 2005. He repeated as TAG World Champion in 2006 and added two KRA Junior Can division championships the same year before moving into junior car racing in 2007. In 2008, he became the first American to win the Formula Ford Festival in England, competing for Team USA. He won the 2011 Indy Lights championship, which led to a ride with what became Ed Carpenter Racing, and Team Penske signed him in 2017.
His first season with Penske delivered the IndyCar Series championship at 26, making him the youngest series champion since Scott Dixon won at 23 in 2003 and the first American-born driver to claim the title since 2012. He won the championship again in 2019, establishing himself as one of the series’ most consistent competitors. In 2023, he won the Indianapolis 500, and he repeated in 2024, becoming only the sixth driver in history to win back-to-back. He also won the 24 Hours of Daytona that year with Porsche Penske Motorsport, joining an exclusive group of just 16 drivers who have won both an Indy 500 and a 24 Hours of Daytona.
The foundation formalizes charitable work the Newgardens have been building for years with two organizations important to the family. SeriousFun Children’s Network, founded by Paul Newman more than 30 years ago, operates 30 camps and programs globally that serve children with serious illnesses. The camps provide free experiences designed to foster independence, resilience, and personal growth, giving kids a chance to experience childhood beyond their medical challenges. Since 1988, the network has served more than 864,000 children and family members. Newgarden became the organization’s driver ambassador and has raised nearly a million dollars for SeriousFun through race winnings and his annual Smash for Charity Ping Pong Challenge, which pulled in more than $100,000 in 2019 alone. IndyCar partnered with SeriousFun in 2018 to honor Paul Newman’s legacy as both a racer and philanthropist, and Newgarden became the visible connection between the series and the camps.
Wags and Walks Nashville, another charity supported by the foundation, operates closer to home. The organization works to reduce euthanasia in animal shelters and find rescue dogs their forever homes. Josef and Ashley adopted their dog Axel, from Wags and Walks in 2020. Ashley, a former Disney actress and author, connected with the organization through the adoption. Ashley now serves on the Wags and Walks Development Committee. Her position formalized the work she had already been doing, helping the organization that rescues nearly 900 dogs a year figure out how to scale its impact across Nashville.
The foundation represents the next step in the Newgardens’ philanthropic journey, shifting from supporting causes through individual donations and annual events to creating a sustainable structure that can grow and evolve. It reflects what they’ve built together over the past few seasons, turning personal connections with SeriousFun and Wags and Walks into something larger that can bring in new partnerships and expand impact. With the infrastructure in place and the first event proving the support exists, the Newgardens are positioned to affect change on a much larger scale and present a model of giving to the IndyCar community.
