In a breathtaking single-lap shootout against last year's winner Marcus Ericsson, double IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden emerged victorious at the prestigious Indianapolis 500, putting an end to Penske and Chevrolet's win drought at the event. The race was filled with drama, featuring three red flags that heightened the excitement.
Starting from 17th on the grid, Newgarden swiftly made his way through the field to join the leading pack on race day. This marked a turning point for Penske, as they finally managed to overcome their recent struggles at the Indy 500.
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Although Newgarden briefly lost the lead to Ericsson during the second restart after a late red flag, fate intervened in the form of a five-car pile-up in the midfield. The incident prompted another stoppage and reset the field for a final single-lap dash. With Ericsson in a vulnerable position at the restart, Newgarden seized the opportunity. He closed in on Ericsson out of Turn 2, executed a skilful draft on the outside heading into Turn 3, and secured the long-awaited victory that had previously eluded him.
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In a remarkable performance, Santino Ferrucci clinched an extraordinary third place for the AJ Foyt team, which has faced significant challenges over the years. Ferrucci had been a frontrunner throughout the Indy 500 weeks and led the race before a disappointing final pit stop. The early stages of the race witnessed a captivating battle for the lead between polesitter Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay. However, VeeKay's loss of control while exiting a pit stop resulted in a collision with Palou, damaging the front wing of the Ganassi car and incurring a penalty. Palou showcased his resilience by mounting an impressive recovery from 28th place to secure a commendable fourth-place finish, while VeeKay ultimately settled for 10th.
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Towards the end of the race, a frightening crash involving Felix Rosenqvist and Kyle Kirkwood led to the red flag being waved again.
The series of red flags began when Felix Rosenqvist collided with the wall after being overtaken by Newgarden, causing his car to spin across the track. Kyle Kirkwood, driving for Andretti, inadvertently clipped Rosenqvist's car, resulting in the left-rear wheel being sheared off and launched high over the debris fence into a nearby car park. Miraculously, no injuries were reported.
The incident was followed by two more stoppages, including a mid-pack incident involving Christian Lundgaard, Ed Carpenter, Benjamin Pedersen, Graham Rahal, and Marco Andretti.
Following the restart, Pato O'Ward assumed the lead, only to crash heavily while battling Ericsson. The incident triggered a chain reaction of collisions involving Simon Pagenaud and Agustin Canapino, with Canapino colliding with O'Ward's stationary car. Rosenqvist and O'Ward's exits from the race paved the way for Alexander Rossi, finishing in fifth, as McLaren's top performer. Scott Dixon and Takuma Sato, both from Ganassi, secured sixth and seventh place, respectively, followed by Conor Daly in eighth.
Despite colliding with Romain Grosjean during a pit stop, Colton Herta managed to recover and become Andretti Autosport's leading finisher in ninth place. Grosjean later crashed out of the race on his own.
