Josef Newgarden, driving car number two, won his second consecutive Indy 500 in an exhilarating final-lap overtake. He overcame Pato O’Ward to secure his victory and become the first back-to-back winner of the race in 22 years. The race was held on a 2.5-mile oval track at the Indianapolis Brickyard and covered 200 laps despite being delayed by severe storms for four hours. The entire race was completed just before the 20:15 curfew, with Newgarden’s last-minute pass securing his win.
Team Penske’s Newgarden expressed his respect for O’Ward’s clean driving and acknowledged that he was equally capable of winning the race. Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing finished third in this historic event. The delay in the race start allowed for an intense and chaotic competition, with the lead changing 87 times over 500 miles and 16 different drivers taking the lead at various points. The opening lap saw a crash caused by British rookie Tom Blomqvist, ending the race for several drivers including Marcus Ericsson. Newgarden’s victory marked his impressive back-to-back win, making him only the sixth driver in the Indy 500’s history to achieve consecutive wins after Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002.
