Solely 4 instances within the 108-year historical past of the Indy 500 has the race been determined with a go for the lead on the ultimate lap.
After Sunday’s stop-and-start, delayed-four-hours race, two of these wins belong to Staff Penske’s Josef Newgarden.
Dueling with Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren, the Nashville native discovered himself behind the younger Mexican driver with simply two turns to go on Lap 200. As O’Ward began “snaking” down the backstretch, Newgarden gained momentum and pulled alongside the five-time IndyCar race winner. In Flip 3, it regarded like two would careen into the outer wall collectively, however Newgarden discovered grip, and pulled forward in one of the daring strikes you’ll ever see on the Indianapolis.
“I don’t assume it really works until you’re racing somebody like Pato,” mentioned Newgarden. “It’s not that Pato didn’t race me onerous, he simply raced me clear. That transfer doesn’t work until you’re racing somebody like that. It simply doesn’t. It’s very simple that that doesn’t work out.“
Newgarden pulled a spot and didn’t enable O’Ward to catch up down the frontstretch. With the win, he turns into the primary driver to go back-to-back at Indianapolis since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002. Sunday’s victory can be Roger Penske’s twentieth as a workforce proprietor, essentially the most of any in Indy 500 historical past.
Describing Sunday’s race as a “race of attrition” can be the understatement of all understatement. 46 laps had been run underneath warning, which gave the race a real crimson mild, inexperienced mild feeling. It set an Indy 500 file for variety of completely different drivers to steer not less than one lap at 16, and the lead modified fingers 49 instances. It was virtually paying homage to the chaos of Newgarden’s win final yr, which featured three late crimson flags and an unprecedented one-lap shootout to finish the race.
The distinction this yr was a rain delay that pushed the beginning of the race again 4 hours. The end ended up being the primary race within the historical past of the five hundred to finish underneath the sundown.
“We knew there was loads of time to get a full distance race in, so we simply executed the race plan that we had talked about on Saturday.”
– Jonathan Diuguid, Interim Race Strategist for Josef Newgarden
So as to add to that problem, Newgarden needed to battle a number of fellow Indy winners. He handed Scott Dixon and Alexander Rossi within the late levels of the race, two former winners who completed third and fourth, respectively.
Whereas his two teammates, Scott McLaughlin and Will Energy, ended up out of rivalry, Newgarden stayed with the tempo your entire day. The 32-year-old ended up main 26 laps, second solely to McLaughlin, who led 66 – largely within the first half of the race. For a very long time, it appeared like this yr’s 500 was McLaughlin’s to lose. However a clutch situation put the Kiwi behind and led to an eventual sixth-place end for the record-setting polesitter.
For Newgarden and Staff Penske, this win was wanted. After a push-to-pass scandal rocked the IndyCar world final month, workforce morale was down. Not solely did the workforce forfeit Newgarden’s win from the season opener at St. Petersburg, however they forfeited their repute amongst fellow drivers and workforce house owners. This together with on-line strain on the workforce was proven in full power when Newgarden broke down in a press convention at Barber Motorsports Park in April. Earlier this month, the workforce introduced that they had been suspending a number of senior workforce officers, together with workforce president Tim Cindric – who additionally serves as Newgarden’s race strategist week-to-week.
However for Newgarden and workforce proprietor Roger Penske, these hardships had been nowhere to be discovered because the two-time collection champion crawled via a gap within the catch fence and sprinted down the aisles of the frontstretch grandstands, arms raised within the air and followers mobbing him for the second consecutive yr.
“I believe it’s an expertise that it’s bought to both break you or robust you up, and for me, that’s all I’ll say about it. We’ve been transferring ahead. We’ve by no means labored collectively extra as a gaggle than this weekend, and I assumed that was tough to do,” mentioned Newgarden.
“That is essentially the most tight-knit workforce I’ve ever seen. It’s been a pleasure to be part of it as a result of it’s such a well-conjoined group. Everyone works so nicely collectively. It’s enjoyable to indicate up right here. It’s enjoyable to go to work.“
With a second Indy 500 win, JoNew joins a membership with some legendary members. Legends of the collection like Takuma Sato, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dan Wheldon, and Arie Luyendyk every have two victories on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – and people are simply the 4 most up-to-date ones. Going additional again, you may add names like Invoice Vukovich, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Al Unser Jr. to that record.
Heartbreak for Pato
On the opposite finish of issues, O’Ward and the Arrow McLaren camp had their hearts shattered. After a go into Flip 1 on the ultimate lap, it regarded like IndyCar’s hottest driver had his maiden Indy 500 win within the bag. The gang’s pleasure might be heard over the automobiles on monitor each time O’Ward made a go. He admitted the heartbreak in his post-race press convention:
“I really feel very happy with what I did right now. I actually do. It’s simply in any case that work and all these very dangerous sorts of decisions that I needed to make with a purpose to put myself in that place, , it simply stings to not be capable to simply end it. However it’s what it’s.“
The Monterrey native has confirmed himself to be a contender at Indianapolis already – right now was his fourth high 10 and second runner-up end on the 500 in simply six makes an attempt. Nevertheless it nonetheless stays to be seen whether or not or not the McLaren driver can pull via and turn into an Indy 500 winner.
“On the finish of the day, I hope I put smiles on children’ faces and people who had been right here out to help us. I hope that they go dwelling tonight pleased with the present that we gave them as a result of I really feel prefer it was undoubtedly not a boring race,” mentioned O’Ward after his runner-up end.
“We needed to combat for our outcome right now tougher than I’ve ever needed to combat for it, and I believe that’s why it’s simply that rather more emotional, as a result of I put every thing into right now.“
Subsequent Race
Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix
Might 31 – June 2
Streets of Detroit – Detroit, Michigan, USA
2023 Winner: Alex Palou
