The Indianapolis 500 race kicked off on Sunday, May 26 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with around 300,000 adoring fans filling the stands in preparation for
the event.
Originally scheduled to speed off at 12:45 p.m., the Indy 500 was experienced several delays as a result of storms and showers, but with the drying technology employed to ensure the track was safe to host the race, the Indy 500 was still able to race off on Sunday with around a 4-hour delay. Fans held their breath as the top five contenders in the race kept a close gap between them as they raced toward 200 laps, and the 2023 winner, Josef Newgarden, and Pato O’Ward proved to be the main competitors as the last lap of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” came into focus.
The grandstands echoed with cheers and excitement as Newgarden prepared to mimic his 2023 victory where a last-second move would make the difference between victory and a runner-up position. Coming into the race, Newgarden was known for his last-second surges as he passed the 2022 victor Marcus Ericcson during the final lap to secure his first victory, and he threatened to repeat the action in 2024. As he entered the third turn of the track, Newgarden saw his time to shine and passed Pato O’Ward, edging him out by around .34 seconds, to claim his victory, marking him as the first back-to-back victor since 2002.
With his victory, Newgarden became the sixth back-to-back winner in history and the first since 2002 after Hélio Castroneves took the victory in 2001 and 2002, and he walked away with a reported $4.24 million from the largest purse in Indy 500 history, with $440,000 from BorgWarner for the consecutive win.
Passed Pato O’Ward within the last two turns from the checkered flag, edging him out by .34 seconds. Newgarden has become known for his last-lap surges, such as passing the 2022 victor Marcus Ericsson in the 2023 Indy 500 in the last lap for his first victory.
Following his victory, Newgarden would state that his surge in the last lap almost caused him to miss out on the title and could have caused him to lose his standing in the top five due to the intense acceleration and pressure placed on his vehicle, but he held strong and remained in control of his vehicle to repeat last year’s intense final seconds of the race.
“It was amazing,” Newgarden said. “I was so loose. You have no idea. I almost lost the car like six times on the last stint. I literally almost wrecked in the turn one.”
Even after a 4-hour delay due to the rainy weather, Newgarden expressed that the race was one for the ages as he felt the pressure and drive of those near the top to claim victory. The race would prove to be a competitive iteration of the Indy 500 as well as statistics showed 48 lead changes, ranking fourth in the history of the race for lead changes in the 200 laps.
“It was so much fun,” Newgarden said. “It was nerve-wracking, but it was so much fun. These guys drove incredible. I mean, we were flat out the last 30 laps–completely flat.”
Newgarden stated that O’Ward acted as a stern opponent, especially in the final few laps.
“It was positioning, getting it right, being 1-2, and then making the move when it counted,” Newgarden said. “Pato drove me super clean. He did an amazing job, so hats off to him, but it’s just an amazing day.”
Newgarden ensured that the team behind the wheels, Penske, would receive their praises for the hard work and dedication they placed into the winning car and the belief they placed into him that helped lead him to victory.
“This team deserved it,” Newgarden said. “They’ve done the work. They gave me a car. They gave me a car every weekend. When you have this type of team, it’s easy to do it.”
WILO 96.9 FM, 1570 AM and Boone 102.7 FM were proud to carry the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday for the community to hear. The live broadcast was made possible by Work Comp Management Services, Shoup’s Country Foods, Jerry’s Body Shop, Freckles Graphics, Lehnen’s Furniture and Mattress, Wamplers Services, Inc., Esserman Best Tire and Auto Care, Martin Brothers TV and Appliances, The City of Frankfort, Encompass Credit Union, Wilson’s Farm Market and Outdoor Power Unlimited.
Top 5 Finishers:
- Josef Newgarden, starting in the third position
- Pato O’Ward, starting in the eighth position
- Scott Dixon, starting in the 21st position
- Alexander Rossi, starting in the fourth position
- Alex Palou, starting in the 14th position
Editor’s Note: The quotes and statistics provided were derived from recaps and interviews supplied by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network and were approved for release through the Kaspar Media News Team.
