Josef Newgarden Makes History, Gives Penske 19th Indy 500 win

Josef Newgarden celebrates after winning the Indianapolis 500 auto race

In a dramatic Indianapolis 500 race,
Josef Newgarden
gave team owner Roger Penske his 19th win on Sunday. 

Newgarden, who had previously been 0 for 11 in the race, made an audacious
pass of defending race winner Marcus Ericsson during a frantic 2.5-mile sprint
to the finish. 

This victory was also Penske's first since buying Indianapolis Motor
Speedway. 

The race was on pace to be the fastest Indy 500 in history but ended with
three red flags in the final 16 laps. 

Nonetheless, Newgarden's long-awaited victory was a thrilling moment in the
racing world.

After the third red flag in the closing laps, race control moved Josef
Newgarden from fourth to second position. 

Newgarden, who had previously been unsuccessful in his 11 attempts at the Indy
500, seized the opportunity and slingshot around defending race winner Marcus
Ericsson on the restart.

Indy 500 Finish Video

He then held Ericsson off through the last two turns to clinch the victory.
Newgarden brought his Chevrolet-powered car to a stop on the front stretch,
jumped out, and celebrated with the crowd estimated at over 300,000. He even
climbed the fence in a tribute to longtime Team Penske driver and four-time
Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves.

After the win, Josef Newgarden expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to
race and win at the Indy 500, saying that he knew he was capable of winning
despite his previous unsuccessful attempts. 

He poured a bottle of whole milk over his head as part of the victory
tradition. 

Josef Newgarden celebrates winning the Indy 500 race

Meanwhile, Marcus Ericsson, who finished second in a Honda for Chip Ganassi
Racing, immediately criticized IndyCar's decision to have the green flag fly
on the first lap out of the pits, which he felt was an unfair and dangerous
way to end the race. Santino Ferrucci followed in third place, giving
88-year-old A.J. 

Foyt's team their best finish in the race since 1999. Alex Palou, who was the
pole sitter and race favorite for Chip Ganassi Racing, finished fourth, while
Alexander Rossi came in fifth, making it a disappointing day for Arrow
McLaren.

The Indy 500 race was poised to be the fastest in history, but it ended with
three red flags in the final 16 laps. 

The first red flag was due to a crash involving Felix Rosenqvist and Kyle
Kirkwood, who were near the front of the lead pack. 

Rosenqvist's Arrow McLaren car touched the fence in Turn 1 and slid down the
track, while Kirkwood's car went upside down into the catch fence, creating a
terrifying, spark-filled ride through the short chute. 

One of Kirkwood's wheels sailed over the fencing and narrowly missed the
packed grandstand, but thankfully, no one was injured. 

On the restart, Pato O'Ward was shuffled from first to third as Newgarden took
the lead. 

O'Ward and Ericsson then touched wheels entering Turn 3, causing O'Ward to
slide into the wall and out of the race, in another bitter disappointment for
Arrow McLaren. Agustin Canapino did a 360-spin behind O'Ward, breaking a brake
line and colliding with O'Ward's car as he was unable to stop.

Pato O'Ward expressed his disappointment after being shuffled from first to
third on the restart and eventually crashing out of the race. He felt that he
was "too nice" and that he got squeezed by Ericsson. 

The Indy 500 had its second red flag with six laps to go, disrupting what had
been one of the fastest races in history.  also red-flagged with five
laps to go when Ericsson was leading O'Ward to the finish, and O'Ward was
criticized for not making a more aggressive move for the win. 

In contrast, Newgarden did not make the same mistake and took advantage of his
chance to overtake Ericsson on the restart. As he crossed the yard of bricks,
team owner Roger Penske and his executive committee celebrated in joy. 

Newgarden credited his team's hard work for the win and expressed his
emotional state during the last 10 laps of the race.

Newgarden  poured a bottle of whole milk over his head as part of the victory tradition

Newgarden celebrates after winning with the family

#INDY500 ✅ pic.twitter.com/ud60RZyW4g

— Josef Newgarden (@josefnewgarden) May 28, 2023