Josef Newgarden becomes the first driver since Helio Castroneves in 2002 to win back to back at the Indianapolis 500.
Despite a four hour rain delay, the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 proved exactly why it is named, “The Greatest Spectacle In Racing”. The second ever front row Penske lock out, provided Roger Penske with his 20th visit to victory circle.
Lap 1 Chaos
Before the 33 drivers see the green flag, Callum Ilott of Arrow McLaren pulls into the pits. Ilott was having issues shifting gears. The team made necessary adjustments to help his cause. Due to the 6 car pulling out of the warm up laps, Ilott starts from the back of the grid.
Despite the green flag waving on turn one, it was short lived. Tom Blomqvist of Meyer Shank Racing placed his front left tire on the rumble strip, causing the car to lose control. The 66 car spun to the high side and crashed into Marcus Ericsson of Andretti Global. Both Blomqvist and Ericsson’s opportunity to race to the checkered flag ended on the first lap.
Simultaneously, Ilott and Pietro Fittipaldi of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing make contact. Fittipaldi attempting to avoid the chaos of the 66 and 28 car, he makes slight contact with the 6 car. Ilott was located on the inside line and stayed in control, while the 30 car made contact with the wall ending Fittipaldi’s second ever running of the 500.
Lap 10 Restart
Prior to the Lap 10 restart after the first yellow flag, Marcus Armstrong in the Ridgeline Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing pulls into the pits. The Honda engine leaving a trail of smoke. Armstrong’s rookie running ends with less than one lap of green flag racing.
By lap 22, we see the e.l.f cosmetics car of Katherine Legge releasing smoke. The smoke from the engine identical to the retirement of Armstrong. Legge pulls the 51 car into the Dale Coyne pit box. Legge is forced to retire her 500 efforts due to a Honda engine failure.
Between laps 22-26, under caution due the smoke of the 51 car, most of the field pits.
Just after the field begins green flag racing, Lundqvist finds his car in the wall. The rookie driving the American Legion Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing went four wide into turn 1 on lap 28. He becomes the third rookie to retire, but the sixth Honda engine to finish its running.
25% Complete
Shortly after the 1/4 mark of the 500, on lap 56, Rosenqvist’s Honda begins smoking. Meyer Shank Racing’s 60 car becomes the 7th Honda to retire, and the third Honda that faced engine failure before 57 laps of racing.
Rosenqvist’s retirement triggered a large yellow flag pit sequence.
The field of 26 remaining cars found themselves racing under green conditions until the Gainbridge Honda of Colton Herta lost control on Turn 1. On Lap 86, Herta lost grip and found his front wing slamming into the high side of the wall. Herta exited the Andretti Global 26 car. Shortly after being released from the medical center, the 26 crew deemed the Gainbridge Honda salvageable. The 26 crew put on a new front wing and sent Herta back out into the brickyard.
Halfway There
During the most recent pit sequence, Ilott in the Arrow McLaren 6 car was shoved out of his pit box and pushed into Ed Carpenters box. This caused Carpenter to stop and wait for the 6 crew to retrieve Ilott to the proper pit box. Kirkwood received a drive through penalty for the contact. Despite the Auto Nation Honda locking up, race control deemed this incident as avoidable contact. This drive through penalty denied the Andretti Global 27 car an opportunity for the win.
Shortly after, lap 107, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Scott Dixon make contact. Hunter-Reay of DRR-Cusick Motorsports goes on the inside of Dixon on the back straight. Dixon didn’t see the 23 car on his left side and left no space for Hunter-Reay. The 23 car completes a 360 on and off the grass at 200mph, effectively destroying Hunter-Reay’s race. Race control investigated, but deemed the event to be a racing incident. No penalties given.
Lap 109 invites another large pit stop sequence.
Shortly after a majority of the field pits, Marco Andretti, a one off entry for Andretti Global gets loose in turn 1 and hits the wall, forcing another retirement. Andretti attempted to catch the car multiple times before he found the high side wall. The 98 car retired as the 9th entrant to hang up their Indy 500 helmet early.
Eclipsing 75% of the race completed, lap 132 began a sequence of green flag pit stops. Nascar Cup Champion, Kyle Larson locked his front right tire coming into pit lane. Due to the lock up, the 17 car was given a drive through penalty for a pit lane speeding infringement. This penalty ultimately cost the Arrow McLaren/Hendrick Motorsport Chevy a top 10 finish.
Last 50
Three laps short of the final 50 laps of the race, Will Power’s Verizon powered Chevrolet gets loose. On turn 1, it is evident the track is beginning to fall away, resulting in the 12 car to get loose and make contact with the wall. This was the last caution the field sees in the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500.
After the track is swept and cleared for debris, the field sees its final restart at lap 156.
Lap 170 Alexander Rossi kicks off the last and final sequence of green flag pitstops.
7 laps to go, Pato O’Ward’s number 5 Chevrolet overtakes his teammate Alexander Rossi for 2nd to hunt down Newgarden.
5 laps to go, Newgarden takes back the lead from the 5 car.
On the beginning go the last lap O’Ward overtakes the 2 car on the front straight, near the start finish line. The crowd roars in excitement.
O’Ward defends against the draft, but in turn 3 Newgarden overtakes O’Ward.
Josef Newgarden of Team Penske, driving the number 2 shell livery takes the checkered flag as a back to back winner in the brickyard.
Not Once, But Twice
Josef Newgarden will not only join the two time winners club, he adds himself to an elite list of Indianapolis 500 winners that have won back to back. The short list includes: Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Bill Vukovich, Al Unser Sr. and Helio Castroneves.
In just two years, Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward finishes second not once, but twice at The Greatest Spectacle In Racing.
This Is INDYCAR
The 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 provided spectacular racing. The 200 laps brought 7 yellow flags, 649 total on track passes, 16 different leaders and even two lead changes in the last lap. This race, a field of 33 fantastic drivers, representing 14 different nationalities, on a weekend Americans remember and honor those who have fallen for our country.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway does not care about what car you drive, your nationality, your experience or even your dreams, she picks her winner every year. The 2024 Indy 500 won by Josef Newgarden had fans roaring until he took the checkered flag for the second time in two years. This is the Month of May. This is INDYCAR.
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