Despite a four-hour rain prolong, the clouds diminished and an intense war done because the solar say on more than 300,000 followers on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Newgarden, who started third, change into as soon as compelled to pull off one more stirring last-lap pass, turning in an exhilarating originate air pass around Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward into Turn 3 and defend shut by 0.3417s. He becomes the fundamental driver to head support-to-support since Helio Castroneves did so with Team Penske in 2001 and 2002.
“I knew shall we defend shut this flee over again; it change into as soon as appropriate a topic of getting it factual,” mentioned Newgarden post-flee. “There’s no better intention to defend shut a flee than that. I received to give it as a lot as Pato [O’Ward] besides. He’s an incredibly pleasing driver. It takes two folk to manufacture that work. It’s now not appropriate a lawful pass, it’s additionally any individual that you’re working with that’s incredibly pleasing. I with no doubt ought to give hat’s off to Pato. He would possibly per chance per chance ranking without recount received this flee, too, but it completely appropriate fell our intention. I’m appropriate so proud of all people. I’m proud of this total crew. Everyone that companions with us, Team Chevy. Moral a gargantuan day.”
O’Ward, who held off a pair of tiresome runs earlier than turning in his enjoy daring effort in Turn 1 on the last lap, would possibly per chance per chance possibly easiest be sit down with helmet in hands on pit lane after finishing runner-up.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon, the 2008 Indy 500 winner, managed to climb from 20th to ticket third.
Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi change into as soon as fourth, earlier than reigning and two-time IndyCar Assortment champion Alex Palou in fifth.
The 200-lap flee featured an occasion document 18 assorted leaders, with pole-sitter Scott McLaughlin leading a flee-excessive 66 earlier than finishing sixth. The 49 lead changes had been the fourth most in Indy 500 history.
There had been eight cautions that totaled 46 laps.
The Inaugurate
Rookie Tom Blomqvist ignited a multi-automobile rupture on the opening lap that serene 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, alongside with Pietro Fittipaldi.
After starting 25th in the No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda of Blomqvist rolled into Turn 1 but drifted below the white line and touched the curbing, which sent him into a sprint and collided with Ericsson’s No. 28 Andretti Global Honda, who started 32nd in a backup automobile.
“I will’t imagine it,” mentioned Ericsson after being released from the infield care center.. “It be amazing. It be so stressful. I produce now not know what to negate. We needed to work so laborious. The crew did this form of lawful job rebuilding that automobile. We fought all last weekend. We fought all week and this occurs. I will’t imagine it.”
Fittipaldi, who change into as soon as held for in depth statement but finally considered and released from the infield clinical center, tried to lead sure of the incident but made wheel-to-wheel contact with Callum Ilott, who change into as soon as compelled to inaugurate up from the rear of the sphere after a mechanical recount wished to be addressed to his No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for the interval of the tempo laps.
A whole lot of vehicles in the center and support of the pack took profit of the caution to high off fuel on lap four, together with Conor Daly (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing), Sting Ray Robb (AJ Foyt Racing), and the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing duo of Christian Lundgaard and Graham Rahal.
When Katherine Legge’s No. 51 Dale Coyne Racing Honda went up in smoke on lap 23, upfront ending her day, it say in motion pit stops two laps later.
Once McLaughlin pitted from the lead on lap 25, with crew-mates Will Energy and Newgarden following, the head blueprint circled to Robb, which he lost on the following restart to Daly.
It took easiest except lap 28 earlier than one more caution flew, this time attributable to Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqivst crashing into Turn 1 following a tiresome pass strive to the interior of three vehicles, together with rookie crew-mate Kyffin Simpson.
The flee continued at a frantic tempo except No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing entry of Felix Rosenqvist, went up in smoke and brought out one more caution on lap 56, joining Legge and rookie Marcus Armstrong (Chip Ganassi Racing) because the third Honda to retire early with disorders.
Despite a promising cost from 13th to 2d, Colton Herta’s sixth Indy 500 train came to an abrupt raze after crashing in Turn 1 on lap 88.
Though the incident change into as soon as associated to Blomqvist’s, Herta, who change into as soon as leisurely chief McLaughlin, never touched the interior curb earlier than dropping his No. 26 Andretti Global Honda. Though he change into as soon as pushed support to the garage, Herta returned appropriate past the midway level loads of laps down.
Midway
An further two cautions on lap 107 and 114 handed early retirements to 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing) and Marco Andretti (Andretti Herta), respectively.
McLaughlin and Newgarden continued to be a major part for the lead, alongside with Rossi. Nonetheless, a spherical of pit stops brought a laborious lesson to Indy 500 debutant and 2021 NASCAR Cup Assortment champion Kyle Larson. He change into as soon as hit with a pit lane tempo violation by Streak Alter on lap 131, which put his No. 17 Arrow McLaren-Rick Hendrick Chevrolet a lap down.
The war for the lead change into as soon as on as Dixon, who accomplished with no penalty after early contact that led to Hunter-Reay’s retirement, vaulted out front on lap 140 thru a sequence of pit approach.
Energy’s day ended seven laps later with a laborious rupture in Turn 2. His No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet change into as soon as working on the originate air of Ed Carpenter Racing rookie Christian Rasmussen in Turn 1 when the support raze snapped, and he collided into the wall.
With the caution, Larson change into as soon as in a situation to ranking support on the lead lap.
This say up a restart on lap 155, with Dixon rupture up by O’Ward and Rossi, who took the lead from third entering Turn 1.
Rossi and O’Ward traded the lead for the next loads of laps, while Dixon continued to employ third earlier than Newgarden and Palou.
Despite fading down the working expose after being on the spoiled raze of the grab disorders, McLaughlin climbed support as a lot as sixth by lap 168.
Rossi pitted from the lead on lap 170, handing off to O’Ward momentarily earlier than Dixon passed him for the head blueprint.
Dixon and O’Ward pitted on lap 173.
The Stop
Newgarden caught Dixon, who cycled to the front of the workers as both had been positioned earlier than Rossi and O’Ward. Palou change into as soon as lurking in fifth with 24 laps to head.
Through now not pitting but with 20 laps to head, Larson cycled to the lead briefly earlier than pitting on lap three laps later and put Simpson – who had but to pit – into the lead. Simpson at last pit with 14 laps to head and put the war for the defend shut between Rossi and Newgarden front and center.
Dixon confirmed signs of war as O’Ward passed him for third with 13 laps to head entering Turn 1, trailing Newgarden and Rossi.
Newgarden held the lead with 10 laps to head, with Rossi, O’Ward, Dixon and Kirkwood in the head 5.
O’Ward made a tiresome pass on Rossi entering Turn 1 for 2d with seven laps to head and then caught – and passed by – Newgarden with 5 laps to head.
Newgarden fired support with four laps to head to retake the lead by O’Ward. Within the intervening time, Palou moved into fifth after getting by Kirkwood, who fell to seventh after being passed by McLaughlin.
O’Ward backed off a pair of times regardless of getting runs on Newgarden, sitting in 2d coming to the white flag.
O’Ward went to the originate air of Newgarden popping out of Turn 4 and took the lead into Turn 1. Newgarden then made a worthy urge off of Turn 2 because the two went wheel-to-wheel as and done an originate air pass into Turn 3.
Newgarden raised his hand out of the head of the aeroscreeen as he charged to the checkered flag.
