Josef Newgarden emerged as the winner in an exciting last lap battle against Pato O’Ward, securing his second consecutive victory at the Indianapolis 500. O’Ward, driving for McLaren, had several chances to overtake Newgarden, but ended up passing him on the final lap. However, Newgarden retaliated and regained the lead in Turn 3. This victory makes Newgarden the first back-to-back winner since Helio Castroneves in 2001/02, earning him an additional $440,000 bonus from sponsor Borg Warner. Despite facing key personnel suspension due to an internal investigation into the team’s push-to-pass scandal, Newgarden secured Penske’s 20th victory at the Indy 500. The race, delayed by four hours due to rain, turned into a battle between Newgarden, O’Ward, Alexander Rossi, and Scott Dixon. O’Ward’s strong comeback almost secured him the win, but he ended up finishing in second place, repeating his close second place in 2022. Scott McLaughlin, pole position, who had been Newgarden’s main rival, finished in sixth place behind champion Alex Palou. Will Power, another member of Penske’s front row sweep, suffered a serious crash towards the end of the race. Despite a pitlane contact penalty, Kyle Kirkwood managed to secure seventh place. Colton Herta, a strong contender, crashed while in second place behind McLaughlin, but returned to the race after repairs. Marcus Ericsson, Andretti’s signing for 2024 and winner of the 2022 Indy 500, retired on the first lap due to a collision with Tom Blomqvist. NASCAR star Kyle Larson showcased his skills in the front pack, but ended up finishing in 18th place after losing two laps in the pitlane.
