INDIANAPOLIS — Josef Newgarden became the first back-to-back winner of the Indianapolis 500 since Helio Castroneves 22 years ago and gave Roger Penske a record-extending 20th win in the race.
“I love this crowd. I’ve got to always go in the crowd if we win here, I am always doing that,” Newgarden said according to AP.
Newgarden was briefly passed on the white-flag lap by Pato O’Ward going into Turn 1, but a mighty run down the backstretch allowed the Penske driver to hang it around the outside into Turn 3 and hold on for the win.
“Pato is an incredibly clean racer … it takes two to make that work,” Newgarden said in Victory Circle.
Penske had been watching the race high above the speedway and pumped his arm in celebration as Newgarden crossed the finish line. He then hugged his wife. It took less than an hour for the placard that designates Penske’s parking spot inside the speedway to be changed from “19” to “20.”
O’Ward slumped his head over his steering wheel in bitter disappointment. He was trying to become the first Mexican in 108 runnings to win the Indy 500.
It looked as if he had been crying when he finally removed his helmet. He finished sixth in his Indy 500 debut, then fourth and then second in 2022 when he was accused of not being aggressive enough to race Marcus Ericsson for the win.
He refused to back down last year and wound up crashing as he went for the victory. As O’Ward bided his time in the closing laps – he and Newgarden traded the lead several times – he waited to make the winning pass on the final lap. Newgarden got it right back two turns later.
“It is hard to put it into words – we went back, we went forward, we went back, some people were driving like maniacs,” O’Ward said.
“We had so many near-race enders. Just so close again. … I put that car through things I never thought it was going to be able to do. It is always a heartbreak when you’re so close, especially when it’s not the first time and you don’t know how many opportunities you have.”
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