Josef Newgarden's wife drops 3-word reaction to fashion designer teasing apparel collab

Josef Newgarden’s wife, Ashley Newgarden, had a short but excited reaction after fashion designer Kristin Juszczyk teased a new apparel collaboration involving the IndyCar star. Kristin Juszczyk, the wife of NFL player Kyle Juszczyk, posted an Instagram Story that hinted at a custom jacket design for Josef Newgarden.

The design featured the words “Back To Back” on the front, a reference to Newgarden’s back-to-back wins at the Indianapolis 500 in 2023 and 2024.

“Cooking up something special for @josefnewgarden & @ashleynewgarden 🏁🏎️🥛.” Kristin wrote on her Instagram Story.

Juszczyk gained major attention during the 2024 Indianapolis 500 when she was officially brought in by Roger Penske to design custom jackets for the event. She created one jacket for the race winner and another for singer Jordin Sparks, who sang the national anthem that year. The collaboration marked her first involvement with the iconic race.

Ashley Newgarden reshared Kristin's story on her Instagram page and praised the celebrity designer with just three words:

"The Queen herself!!" Ashley wrote in her IG Story.

Screengrab of Ashley Newgarden's IG Story (@ashleynewgarden via Instagram)

Josef Newgarden and Ashley met in 2012 when Ashley was working as a Disney Princess at Tokyo Disneyland. Their connection grew stronger over time, leading to a proposal in October 2018 during a trip to Kyoto, Japan. They married in October 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Kota Nicolai Newgarden, in April 2022. Ashley and Kota are often seen at IndyCar racetracks supporting Josef in his racing journey. Josef Newgarden currently sits in the 11th spot in the NTT IndyCar drivers’ standings with 78 points to his name.

---

Josef Newgarden once said IndyCar is more difficult than NASCAR

Josef Newgarden at INDYCAR Open Testing - Indianapolis - Source: Getty

Josef Newgarden, a two-time IndyCar champion, once shared his honest opinion on how tough IndyCar racing is compared to NASCAR. In a 2019 interview with reporter Jeff Gluck, Newgarden said he believes IndyCar is more physically demanding than stock car racing.

“I genuinely believe physically, IndyCars are harder. That’s not a knock, it’s just what it is,” Newgarden said. “But I would also preface that by saying the physicality is different. I think overall it’s more physical.”

He explained that IndyCars don’t have power steering, which means drivers need more strength to turn the car. He also mentioned that IndyCars create more grip and go faster through the corners because of their lightness and high downforce.

“There’s much higher G-loading because of the weight and downforce that our cars produce, so laterally we make a lot more grip. We go a lot quicker through the corners. I think physically they are tougher to drive,” he said.

The Team Penske driver has competed in IndyCar since 2012 and is known as one of the best drivers in the series. Over his career, he has made more than 200 starts, won 31 races, and claimed 20 poles. His strong results and experience add weight to his views on how demanding the sport can be.