Josef Newgarden clinched back-to-back victories at the 108th running of the legendary Indy 500, engaging in a thrilling battle with Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren in the closing laps.
In a dramatic finish on the white flag lap, Josef Newgarden secured his second consecutive victory at the Indy 500, becoming only the sixth driver in history to achieve this feat.
This win also marked Roger Penske’s 20th triumph in the iconic race. Newgarden joins the ranks of Helio Castroneves as the first driver since 2001 and 2002 to claim back-to-back wins at the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
After stepping out of his car, Josef Newgarden leaped into the stands to acknowledge the Indianapolis fans, who endured a four-hour rain delay before the race. He then shared a touching moment with his wife, Ashley, celebrating his victory at the iconic Indy 500.
“Unbelievable. I love this crowd,” an exhausted but ecstatic Newgarden said. “Honestly, that wore me out more than the race.
“I’m just proud of this team. They crushed it. I mean crushed it. They came here with the fastest cars. We worked our tails off. Team Chevy brought it.
“That’s the way I wanted to win that.”
Josef Newgarden secured his 30th career IndyCar Series win at the Indy 500, starting from the third position on the grid. His Penske teammates, Scott McLaughlin and 2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power, started alongside him, setting the stage for a strong team performance.
Pato O’Ward’s pursuit of his first Indy 500 win ended in heartbreak as he narrowly missed out on victory once again, finishing second after leading into the final lap.
Despite reclaiming the lead from Newgarden, O’Ward was overtaken in Turn 3, leaving him unable to secure the checkered flag.
The 25-year-old Mexican driver struggled to articulate his emotions after coming so close to victory for the second time in three years.
Another heartbreaking P2 for Pato 💔#INDYCAR // @ArrowMcLaren pic.twitter.com/Sip7OenjFp
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) May 27, 2024
Z”I put that car through things I never thought it was gonna be able to do,” O’Ward said. “Oh man, it’s just so painful when you put so much into it and then two laps short I guess. Or two corners short.
“We had so many near race enders, so close again. So (expletive) close.”
Scott Dixon, the 2008 Indy 500 winner and a six-time IndyCar Series champion, secured third place in the race. He was followed by Alexander Rossi, the 2016 winner, who finished fourth. O’Ward’s teammate at Arrow McLaren, Rossi put in a strong performance.
Alex Palou, Dixon’s teammate at Chip Ganassi Racing, finished fifth, while Scott McLaughlin crossed the line in sixth place, rounding out the top positions in the race.
“It’s always a heartbreak whenever you’re so close especially when it’s not the first time,” O’Ward said. “You just don’t know how many opportunities like that you have.”
Josef Newgarden’s victory at the Indy 500 provided redemption following a challenging month marred by controversy.
Team Penske faced scrutiny over a push-to-pass scandal at the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, leading to a significant penalty for Newgarden’s No. 2 team.
Despite racing without his strategist and lead engineer, Newgarden triumphed at Indianapolis, making the celebratory milk even sweeter as he celebrated with his crew for the second consecutive year in victory lane.
Tastes like victory. #INDYCAR // #Indy500 pic.twitter.com/RIcSX55RCM
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) May 27, 2024
