Josef Newgarden becomes back-to-back Indianapolis 500 winner after bold move
SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Josef Newgarden became a back-to-back winner of the Indianapolis 500 after a bold last-lap move on Pato O’Ward.
Newgarden is the sixth back-to-back winner of the 500 and the first since Helio Castroneves in 2001-02.
O’Ward passed Newgarden in turns one and two. Newgarden responded, generating a run on the backstretch and slingshotting O’Ward with a divebomb pass.
O’Ward finished second, dejected after another close loss in the 500.
TOP-10: Newgarden, O’Ward, Scott Dixon, Alexander Rossi, Alex Palou, Scott McLaughlin, Kyle Kirkwood, Santino Ferrucci, Rinus VeeKay, Conor Daly
Christian Rasmussen was the highest-finishing rookie in 12th. Kyle Larson finished 18th after leading a few laps off-sequence in the final 20 laps.
Timing and scoring showed 49 lead changes at the line.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com
87 lead changes