Josef Newgarden has become the first back-to-back winner of the Indy 500 since Helio Castroneves last accomplished the feat 22 years ago in this morning’s 108th edition of the famed event.
The 2024 spectacle came down to a four-car, 30-lap showdown following the final round of stops, with the lead cycling between Newgarden, Scott Dixon, Pato O’Ward, and Alexander Rossi numerous times.
O’Ward hit the front entering the final lap, but Newgarden returned serve at Turn 3 to retake the position to power to victory and join an elite group of just 21 drivers who have won the event more than once.
Newgarden pockets a paycheck estimated to be in excess of $3 million for the win, with a US$440,000 bonus from BorgWarner, the sponsor of the winner’s Borg-Warner Trophy, for his repeat win.
In a race plagued by cautions following a four-hour rain delay, Dixon elected for an alternate strategy and gradually worked his way towards the front from his starting position of 21st.
He led following the final stops but was ultimately unable to match the late pace of Newgarden, O’Ward, and Rossi, who exchanged the lead several times over the final 10 laps.
Dixon settled in fourth as the leaders battled and would sneak through for the final podium spot on the last lap at the expense of Rossi.
Reigning IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou was fifth and extended his points advantage at the top of the 2024 standings as a result, with Dixon climbing to second, 20 points in arrears of his teammate.
Penske’s Will Power, who entered the race in second, was one of 11 non-finishers.
Pole-sitter Scott McLaughlin went on to finish sixth, having led 66 laps of the race despite battling with clutch issues all day.
The 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 featured 49 lead changes amongst 18 drivers, with Newgarden’s advantage at the chequered flag just 0.3417 of a second.
Kiwi Indy 500 rookies Tom Blomqvist and Marcus Armstrong were both non-finishers, the former crashing out on Lap 1 and the latter withdrawing with electrical issues on Lap 6.
NASCAR Cup star Kyle Larson elected to run the Indy 500 over the Coca-Cola 600 following the rain delay and ran deep in the top 10 until a pit lane penalty for speeding derailed his chances.
He would go on to finish 18th before immediately jetting to Charlotte for the remainder of the NASCAR race.
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