LEEDS, Alabama – Ed Carpenter and Sarah Fisher had experienced victory together in the Verizon IndyCar Series once before. It was back on October 2, 2011 when Carpenter drove Sarah Fisher Racing’s Honda to victory in a side-by-side finish with Dario Franchitti at Kentucky Speedway. After that win, the two would go down different paths as Carpenter formed his own race team – Ed Carpenter Racing – and Fisher was able to continue her operation with the help of Kansas businessman Wink Hartman.

Carpenter enjoyed success with his operation, winning two more races as a driver at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California in 2012 and Texas Motor Speedway in 2014. He also won the Indianapolis 500 Pole in 2013 and 2014. Mike Conway would bring more victories to Carpenter as a team owner in 2014.

Fisher and Hartman liked this kid from the Indy Lights Series that showed promise and potential but was a work in progress in the IndyCar Series.

At the end of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series, Carpenter, Fisher and Hartman decided to merge the two teams into one – CFH Racing. And on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, “this kid” took them all to victory lane as 24-year-old Josef Newgarden claimed the first IndyCar win of his career in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.

“It’s Wink Hartman who put the investment in this,” Fisher said in Victory Lane on Sunday. “That’s one thing that would make this complete is if Wink were here today. They are completing a project in Wichita, Kansas and couldn’t be here today. It’s nice to be part of his first win and be able to see him through his fourth year. He stuck with us and made a commitment to the team and that was really awesome. We’re really proud of him and proud to work with him this year.

“This is close to the feeling I got when Ed won in 2011. I was just three weeks out of the hospital after I had Zoe (her daughter along with husband Andy O’Gara). Ed was driving the 67 car – the first driver I picked to fill my seat. That was a very special thing. While this is special, too, because we feel like we have raised Josef in the drivers seat in an IndyCar, it’s a different feeling and we’re happy to be part of it.”

Newgarden is from Hendersonville, Tennessee; Fisher is from Commercial Point, Ohio and Carpenter is from Marshall, Illinois. Three Americans in a series filled with drivers from all over the world heading to the iconic American venue of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the grand American tradition that is the Indianapolis 500.

Now, that’s momentum.

“I think it’s a lot of momentum, certainly for this team, to bring the two teams together we needed that to move forward to continue everything we are doing together and solidify the footprint,” Fisher said.

Carpenter stood in Victory Lane with a satisfied smile on his face as a proud team owner.

“I think I’m lucky,” Carpenter said. “Josef did a hell of a job today. From the drop of the green flag he was ready to go, charging hard and passing guys on track. The guys in the pits did a good job. Some fuel saving came into play and he did everything the guys asked him to do on the timing stand.

“When we first did the merger keeping Josef was a big part of this because I see him as one of the rising stars and future champions of this series. I’m happy to be a part of his first win and hopefully there is many more to come. I have a feeling once he learns how to win in the series he is going to be hard to beat. It’s a big day for our new team. I won a race for Sarah in 2011 and we won another one here as a new team. Hopefully, it’s the start of more heading into the Month of May.”

Carpenter said the merger would have never happened unless they believed both groups would be better together.

“We had a good thing going and there was no reason to change unless we thought we would be more competitive,” Carpenter said. “To get a win this early in the season with a new group of people collectively it’s really satisfying and I’m proud of the whole team. Everyone has put a lot of work into this.

“It’s great to have two American drivers do well today. Graham Rahal did a great job finishing second. It’s very competitive today. I’m really happy to be a part of Josef’s first win. That is a big part of why we did all of this.”