Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden held off a late challenge from Mexican driver Pato O’Ward to win a thrilling and eventful Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, becoming the first driver to win back-to-back races in 22 years.
New Zealand’s Scott Dixon finished third in a race that was delayed four hours due to heavy rain and lightning in the region.
Spectators waited patiently during race delays caused by the storm, but were rewarded with a dramatic finale to the race.
O’Ward, whose best result in the 2022 race was a runner-up finish, appeared to make a perfectly timed push, taking the lead coming into turn one on the final lap.
But Newgarden passed him going into the third corner and made a comeback to give Penske a record-extending 20th Indy 500 victory.
Newgarden won by 0.341 seconds over Arrow McLaren’s O’Ward and celebrated by jumping into the crowd.
“There’s no better way to win a race. Credit has to go to Pato, too,” Newgarden told NBC, which broadcast the race.
“He’s an incredibly clean driver and he could have easily won this race but we ended up winning and I’m very proud of everyone, the whole team,” he said.
The last driver to win consecutive races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s legendary race was Brazilian Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002.
– Very close –
O’Ward was distraught because he was once again so close to the prize he had long sought.
“It’s hard to put into words. I’m proud of what we did today. We bounced back. We came back, we went forward and we came back again,” he said.
“There were people driving like crazy. The race nearly ended and came close a number of times,” he said.
“I’ve done things with this car that I never thought I’d be able to do. It’s really tough when you work that hard and then you’re two laps or two corners short,” he added.
Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi battled with Newgarden for the lead but finished fourth, with Spaniard Alex Palou fifth for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Penske’s Scott McLaughlin, who started from pole position, finished in sixth place.
Over the course of 500 miles, there were 16 different race leaders and the lead changed hands 87 times.
The opening laps were chaotic, with British rookie Tom Blomqvist causing a crash on the opening lap involving 2022 winner Marcus Ericsson of Sweden and Pietro Fittipaldi of Brazil.
Blomqvist lost control after touching the curb, going across the track and colliding with Andretti Global’s Ericsson.
“It’s unbelievable,” Eriksson said after undergoing his medical.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s so frustrating. I don’t know what to say. We had to work so hard. We fought all last weekend. We fought all this week and this happens,” he said.
– Penske redemption –
Marco Andretti was unable to finish after his car touched the wall while approaching O’Ward at the first corner on lap 114 after a yellow flag restart.
“I don’t really trust half the guys around me, but I’ve just got to go for it and whatever happens, happens,” Andretti said.
Newgarden’s win was a joyous moment for Penske, who has endured criticism and sanctions following its cheating scandal.
Team president Tim Cindric, race engineer Luke Mason and two others have been suspended for two races, including the Indy 500.
The suspension came after IndyCar discovered last month at Long Beach that a setup allowing drivers to use a “push to pass” button on starts and restarts violated series rules.
Newgarden was stripped of a win in the season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida, but he didn’t miss the opportunity to hit back at his critics.
“At this point I don’t care what they say. It doesn’t matter to me anymore,” the Tennessee native said.
“I’m really proud of the team, they’ve done a great job, they came in with the fastest car and we worked hard,” he added.
“Luke, Tim, they’re not here today, but they’re playing a big role in this,” he added.
Critical/Critical
