Best of the Month: May 2024

The end of May feels like the end of a year in some ways. The good part is over. It is a finish but there is still over half the year remaining. When it comes to the motorsports seasons, pretty much all of them aren't close to decided, even the ones that you think are foregone conclusions. We must continue onward, for there is still so much racing left this year, but it does feel like something is missing.

Final Indianapolis Nuggets

It is the final day of May, and it is proper that we put the Indianapolis 500 stuff aside. We have been in the thick of it since the start of May, and really even earlier than that. The IndyCar season is not even halfway over, and these upcoming races are important. A championship will be decided and there are some big names that will be in that fight. 

To give the championship, the season its proper due, we must get Indianapolis out of our system, and with June on the verge of beginning, this is the point in time. We will revisit Indianapolis soon enough. The offseason is long, and there is plenty of time to pick at Indianapolis before another May arrives. Here is a last batch of notes from this year’s race before we say goodbye to May 2024. 

Road to 800

This year's race saw a historic milestone reached. With six rookies in the 108th Indianapolis 500, a total of 801 drivers have started the Indianapolis 500. There have of course been a number of relief drivers who never started the race and are not fairly credited in the history books, but we can confidently say 801 drivers have started the Indianapolis 500. 

Who are these milestone drivers? 

We are going based on starting position in the grid. The pole-sitter of the first race is driver #1. Every rookie follows from there. 

Driver #1: Lewis Strang

The inaugural Indianapolis 500 set the grid via when entries were received. Strang was the first entrant and was handed the first starting position, the first driver in Indianapolis 500 history. Though he started first, Strang did not lead a lap. This would be Strang's only Indianapolis 500 part. He lost his in a testing accident on July 20, 1911 in Wisconsin. 

Driver #100: Gaston Chevrolet

Through the first seven Indianapolis 500s, 113 drivers started the race. The sixth-best starting rookie in the 1919 race would be the 100th driver in race history. That turned out to be Gaston Chevrolet. An immigrant from France, Chevrolet started sixth and finished tenth, completing all 200 laps. The following year, Chevrolet would win the Indianapolis 500 with 14 laps led. He would not defend his "500" victory. Chevrolet lost his life on November 25, 1920 at Beverly Hills Speedway. 

Driver #200: Ernie Triplett

Ten years after reaching 100, the Indianapolis 500 reached 200 drivers. It would be the fourth-best rookie on the grid, and that was Ernie Triplett. Starting 20th, Triplett completed 48 laps before a mechanical failure ended his race. Triplett would got on to make five Indianapolis 500 starts. His best result was seventh in 1931. Triplett lost his life in a sprint car accident on March 5, 1934.

Driver #300: Louis Durant

World War II delayed the 300th driver. At the onset of the war, 297 drivers had started the "500." When the race returned in 1946, the 300th driver was a guarantee to occur. It ended up being Louis Durant in a 1938 Alfa Romeo 308 C Special. He started sixth and finish sixth, completing all 200 laps. It was Durant's only Indianapolis 500 start. 

Driver #400: Art Bisch

There needed to be at least seven rookies in the 1958 race for the 400 milestone to be reached. Eight rookies qualified for the 1958 race. The seventh of them was Art Bisch. Bisch started 28th and was caught in the 15-car accident in turn three on the opening lap. Eight cars retired from the accident. Bisch was one of them, and was classified in 33rd. One week later, Bisch won at Milwaukee, his first career victory. A month after that, Bisch lost his life after sustaining a head injury in an accident at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta.

Driver #500: Vern Schuppan

After the 1975 race, 499 drivers had started the "500." Driver #500 would come in 1976. The top rookie starter that year was Vern Schuppan. The Australian had made a handful of Formula One starts prior to his Indianapolis debut. He qualified 17th and finished 18th as a Indianapolis rookie. Schuppan made three Indianapolis starts, but none consecutive. He was 21st in 1979 and third in 1981 behind Bobby Unser and Mario Andretti. Schuppan did properly adhere to the pit lane exit rules in that race.

Driver #600: Stéphan Grégoire

The 1993 Indianapolis 500 had one of the most eclectic rookie classes. Nigel Mansell. Nelson Piquet, Stefan Johansson. Robby Gordon. So who was the 600th driver in Indianapolis 500 history? Stéphan Grégoire. Of all the drivers, it was Grégoire, a man who ended up making seven Indianapolis 500 starts, but mostly as field-filler during the Indy Racing League days. 

Driver #700: Sébastien Bourdais

At the time, Sébastien Bourdais was a Champ Car champion, who came to America by storm and with Newman-Haas Racing making another return to the Speedway in 2005, it was Bourdais' chance for his Indianapolis debut. Bourdais was the third-best rookie starter, behind Danica Patrick and Tomáš Enge, but ahead of Jeff Bucknum, Ryan Briscoe and Patrick Carpentier. Bourdais ran well as a rookie, but spun out while battling for fifth-place in the closing laps. Bourdais' caution sealed the race victory for Dan Wheldon. Bourdais would make nine Indianapolis 500 starts, his best finish was seventh in 2014.

Driver #800: Tom Blomqvist

The fifth-best rookie qualifier in 2024 would be the 800th Indianapolis 500 driver. That was Tom Blomqvist, an IMSA champion and two-time 24 Hours of Daytona winner. Blomqvist started 25th, not bad for someone starting his first oval race ever. It lasted one corner. Blomqvist spun after clipping the rumble strip inside turn one, collecting Marcus Ericsson and Pietro Fittipaldi in the process. 

It took seven races to reach 100, another ten races to reach 200, 13 races to reach 300, 12 races to reach 400, 18 races to reach 500, 17 races to reach 600, 12 races to reach 700 and 19 races to reach 800. The 2010s saw only 51 new drivers start the Indianapolis 500. Through five "500s" in the 2020s, only 24 new drivers have started the race. At that rate, the 2020s are on pace to have the fewest new Indianapolis 500 drivers since only 47 drivers debuted in the 1970s. 

With the wait for 900 on, we are looking at about 2038 at the current paces of just over seven rookies a year. As for 1,000? You will have to wait 2051. 

Speaking of Blomqvist...

Blomqvist did not complete a lap as an Indianapolis 500 rookie. Based on the recent decision to sit Blomqvist for the next two races in place of Hélio Castroneves, we don't know if we will see Blomqvist again at Indianapolis. Even if he doesn't return, he is in a club on his own, one he likely wishes he didn't belong to. 

After the opening lap incident that took out Blomqvist, Ericsson and Fittipaldi, a grand total of 59 cars in Indianapolis 500 history have failed to complete a lap in the race. Of those 59 times it has happened, 20 of those drivers have been Indianapolis 500 rookies including Blomqvist. 

Blomqvist failed to complete a lap on his Indianapolis 500 debut. Blomqvist also failed to complete a lap in his IndyCar debut last year at Toronto. 

How many drivers have failed to complete a lap in their IndyCar debut AND their Indianapolis 500 debut? 

The answer is Tom Blomqvist. 

That's it. That is the list. 

Now, technically, three drivers failed to complete a lap in there IndyCar debut, which was also their Indianapolis 500 debut, Paul Goldsmith in 1958, Cale Yarborough in 1966 and Dale Whittington in 1982. Goldmsith would make it back to Indianapolis the following year and complete all 200 laps and finish fifth. Yarborough completed 176 laps at Indianapolis the following year before having an accident. Whittington never made another IndyCar start in his career. At least Blomqvist isn't in that company.

But in Blomqvist's two debuts he didn't make it through turn one either time. That is a brutal footnote to have in the history book.

Rosenqvist's 27 Club

Felix Rosenqvist has finished 27th in three of the last four Indianapolis 500s.

There is no beating around that bush. In six Indianapolis 500 starts, Rosenqvist has finished 27th in half of them. Rosenqvist is tied with Lloyd Ruby and Russ Snowberger for most 27th place finishes in Indianapolis 500 history.

Snowberger was 27th in his second Indianapolis 500 start in 1929. He then finished 27th in his eighth and ninth "500" starts. Snowberger ended up making 15 starts at Indianapolis.

Ruby didn't finish 27th until his 11th start in 1970. He then finished 27th again in 1973 and his third time finishing 27th was 1977, Ruby's 18th and final Indianapolis 500 start.

It is tough to finish in any position three times in a career. Nobody has finished in the same position more than four times in an Indianapolis 500 career. Nobody has ever finished seventh in the Indianapolis 500 more than twice. A dozen drivers have finished seventh twice in an Indianapolis 500 career. Eleven drivers have twice finished tenth in their Indianapolis 500 careers, but no one has finished tenth in at least three Indianapolis 500s.

How many times in Indianapolis 500 history has a driver finished in the same position at least three times in four Indianapolis 500s?

Wilbur Shaw - 1st (1937, 1939-40)

Mauri Rose - 1st (1941, 1946-47)

Bill Holland - 2nd (1947-48, 1950)

Ted Horn - 3rd (1941, 1946-47)

Ted Horn - 4th (1938-40)

Dick Simon - 14th (1970-71, 1973)

Felix Rosenqvist - 27th (2021, 2023-24)

Sarah Fisher - 31st (2000-01, 2003)

Salt Walther - 33rd (1972-73, 1975)

That's it. That's the list! It has happened nine times, and Ted Horn did it twice at two different positions. Rosenqvist joined a club on Sunday, though he likely didn’t want its membership.

Fastest Lap and Leader Fastest Lap on the Same Lap But Different Drivers

On lap 175, Kyle Kirkwood crossed the start/finish line in the lead with a lap at 39.9437 seconds, 225.317 mph. Kirkwood would enter the pit lane on the following lap, but less than 40 seconds after Kirkwood led lap 175, Christian Lundgaard crossed the start/finish line in 18th with a lap at 39.7574 seconds, 226.373 mph. It was three laps after Lundgaard made his final pit stop of the race. 

Lundgaard's lap 175 would hold as the fastest lap run in the 108th Indianapolis 500. Lundgaard is the 15th different driver in the last 15 years to set fastest lap in the Indianapolis 500. Kirkwood's lap 175 would hold as the fastest leader lap run in the 108th Indianapolis 500. 

Forget Indianapolis 500 history, when was the last time in IndyCar that the fastest lap and the fastest leader lap occurred on the same lap but by two different drivers?

Unfortunately, IndyCar does not have data going back decades on such a thing, and IndyCar's website only has box scores dating back to the start of the 2013 season available, but that is still a good period of time. It is over a decade and it is 189 races, including Indianapolis last Sunday. 

In the previous 188 races, did the fastest lap and fastest leader lap ever occur on the same lap but with two different drivers?

It has actually happened more times than you realized, and it didn't take me long to find the first example. 

Since the box scores only went back to 2013, I figured I would start in 2013 and work my way to the present. The first example was found in the second race I looked at, the 2013 Grand Prix of Alabama. It was the first of 11 occasions since the start of the 2013 season. 

Barber 2013 - Lap 83 (Fastest Lap: James Jakes/Fastest Leader Lap: Ryan Hunter-Reay)

NOLA 2015 - Lap 40 (Fastest Lap: Scott Dixon/Fastest Leader Lap: James Hinchcliffe)

Belle Isle I 2015 - Lap 30 (Fastest Lap: Jack Hawksworth/Fastest Leader Lap: Marco Andretti)

Belle Isle I 2016 - Lap 30 (Fastest Lap: Scott Dixon/Fastest Leader Lap: Juan Pablo Monotya)

Road America 2017 - Lap 52 (Fastest Lap: Josef Newgaden/Fastest Leader Lap: Dixon)

Toronto 2019 - Lap 58 (Fastest Lap: Marcus Ericsson/Fastest Leader Lap: Simon Pagenaud)

Road America 2022 - Lap 13 (Fastest Lap: Newgarden/Fastest Leader Lap: Alexander Rossi)

Nashville 2022 - Lap 48 (Fastest Lap: Scott McLaughlin/Fastest Leader Lap: Álex Palou)

Iowa II 2023 - Lap 108 (Fastest Lap: Will Power/Fastest Leader Lap: Newgarden)

Portland 2023 - Lap 28 (Fastest Lap: Newgarden/Fastest Leader Lap: Palou)

Indianapolis 2024 - Lap 175 (Fastest Lap: Lundgaard/Fastest Leader Lap: Kirkwood)

My only explanation is pit cycles. All the drivers come in around the same time. They are all on fresh tires at that time. However, Kirkwood's fastest leader lap at Indianapolis was prior to a pit stop, so his fuel load was lighter than everyone else's. Since 2013, there were 12 additional occasions where the fastest lap and the fastest leader lap were set by two different drivers but within a lap of one another.

Either way, if drivers are all on fresh tires around the same point and are avoiding traffic, there is a better chance they will set fastest lap or fastest leader lap of the race. 

Expanding this further, in the last 189 IndyCar races, the fastest lap and the fastest leader lap has been the same 42 times.

What Lundgaard and Kirkwood happened to do on Sunday was not all that unseen, but still somewhat rare.

Under Three Hours But...

This year's Indianapolis 500 took two hours, 58 minutes and 49.4079 seconds to complete. That is an average speed of 167.763 mph, the 11th fastest Indianapolis 500 ever and the 14th to be completed in under three hours...

But it had eight caution periods for 47 laps. The only other year that was completed in under three hours and had eight caution periods was 2012, which the 2024 race was faster than by 1.8453 seconds. However, the 2024 race had eight more caution laps than the 2012 race. This was the most caution laps run in an Indianapolis 500 that took under three hours to complete. 

It puts into perspective how fast these cars were hustling around that despite almost a quarter of the race being behind the pace car. I don’t know what it means but they certainly weren’t taking their sweet time on Sunday. 

June Preview

There are three notable endurance races in June.

This weekend's 24 Hours Nürburgring. The 24 Hours of Le Mans in a fortnight. The Spa 24 Hours two weeks after that. 

Calendars have changed over the years. Nürburgring has moved off of Ascension Day weekend, where it would have taken place two weeks ago, this year's race is the first weekend in June and it doubles as the second round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. 

Le Mans is Le Mans. It is when it is supposed to be and we will have our regularly scheduled preview in due time. 

Spa-Francorchamps was kicked forward after the Belgian Grand Prix was unexpectedly moved to prior to Formula One's summer break rather than be one of the first races back from the pause last year. 

Right or wrong, this is what we have been presented with. We will make it through, but a trio of 24-hour races in less than a month is a bit excessive. 

Other events of note in June:

IndyCar has three races, one of which is Laguna Seca at the end of the month, and we will find out how that race can do when it is not the season finale. 

Formula One has a race in Canada before a pair of races in Spain and Austria. 

A week after Le Mans, IMSA has the 6 Hours of the Glen. 

Formula E will be back in Portland. 

MotoGP will be taking it slow compared to the rest of the season. After Mugello on June 2, the series does not race again until Assen on June 30. 

World Superbike will have its first round in nearly two months at Misano before taking another month off.

The NASCAR Cup Series makes its first visit to Iowa Speedway on June 16. 

Track Walk: Detroit 2024

The sixth round of the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series has IndyCar on the streets of downtown Detroit for a second consecutive season on the 1.645-mile circuit around the Renaissance Center. Last year's maiden race on this downtown layout saw 189 total passes and 142 passes were for position. Thirty-two percent of the race was run under caution after seven caution periods. The longest green flag run was 35 laps. There were six consecutive caution laps to start race, 13 consecutive caution laps from lap 43 to lap 55, and 13 of 14 laps from lap 82 to lap 95 were run behind the safety car. 

Coverage

Time: Coverage begins at 12:00 p.m. ET on Sunday June 2 with green flag scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET.
Channel: USA
Announcers: Leigh Diffey, Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe will be in the booth. Marty Snider, Kevin Lee and Dillon Welch will work pit lane.

IndyCar Weekend Schedule

Friday:

First Practice: 3:00 p.m. ET (75 minutes)

Saturday:

Second Practice: 9:10 a.m. ET (60 minutes)
Qualifying: 12:15 p.m. ET 
Sunday:
Warm-up: 9:30 a.m. ET (30 minutes)
Race: 12:30 p.m. ET (100 laps)

* - All sessions will be available live on Peacock

The Championship Picture

The Indianapolis 500 might no longer award double points, but with additional qualifying points for the Fast 12 and the general atmosphere of the event, combined with what has already been a tumultuous IndyCar season in the championship after the Team Penske penalties for the St. Petersburg infraction, the best thing to do through the first quarter of the season is reset where we are at before starting the final 12 races of the season. 

Álex Palou remains on top. With his fifth top five finish to open the season, Palou has 183 points and he is 20 points ahead of his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon in second. Dixon has three top five finishes and four top ten results. 

Despite his accident, Will Power remains third in the championship, buoyed with 11 additional points for qualifying second for the Indianapolis 500. Power does enter Detroit 26 points behind Palou. Patricio O'Ward closed to within 49 points of the championship lead with his runner-up finish. O'Ward's second was only his second top ten finish of the season. The other was his St. Petersburg victory. 

Colton Herta dropped to fifth in the championship, level with O'Ward on 134 points, but O'Ward owns the tiebreaker thanks to his St. Petersburg victory. Scott McLaughlin entered Indianapolis tied for sixth in the championship, and McLaughlin remains sixth in the championship, but he made up some ground to the championship lead, 12 points closer than he was, now 52 points off the top spot. 

An Indianapolis 500 victory in 2024 earns you $4.288 million and a ten-spot leap in the championship, as Josef Newgarden goes from 17th, 91 points behind Palou, to seventh and 61 points off the Catalan driver. 

Alexander Rossi moved up to eighth, 63 points back. Felix Rosenqvist's first retirement of the season sees him slip from fifth to ninth and 67 points off Palou. Despite finishing seventh in the "500," Kyle Kirkwood dropped from eighth to tenth in the championship, but he only lost two spots to the championship. Kirkwood is 68 points from the top.

Christian Lundgaard dropped to 11th on 102 points. Santino Ferrucci moved from 15th to 12th and sits on 95 points. Rinus VeeKay has 87 points from five races, one more than Graham Rahal, ands points more than Marcus Armstrong, whose Indianapolis 500 lasted only six laps. Romain Grosjean is 16th on 79 points. 

Linus Lundqvist remains the best rookie in the championship, in 17th on 73 points, but Lundqvist is only three points ahead of the next best rookie, his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyffin Simpson. Marcus Ericsson fell from 16th to 19th in the championship after failing to complete a lap at Indianapolis. Ericsson is on 68 points while Agustín Canapino rounds out the top twenty on 56 markers. 

Christian Rasmussen and Pietro Fittipaldi are tied on 50 points with the tiebreaker going to Rasmussen thanks to Rasmussen's 12th at Indianapolis beating Fittipaldi's best finish this season of 13th at St. Petersburg. 

Jack Harvey did not run the Indianapolis 500 but he is 23rd in points with 47 points, one point more than Tom Blomqvist and Sting Ray Robb, two drivers that have contested every race this season. Callum Ilott's pair of 11th-place finishes between St. Petersburg and the "500" driving the #6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet has him on 39 points, one more than Théo Pourchaire, who will take over the #6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for the remainder of the season starting in Detroit. 

With 12 races remaining, 648 points remain on the table. 

Can Josef Newgarden Win?

Considering we have just seen the first driver to successfully win consecutive Indianapolis 500s since 2002, Newgarden might be considering himself the man to end the 23-year slump of the Indianapolis 500 winner not backing up his Memorial Day weekend success with a victory in the following race. 

It has not happened since 2000 when Juan Pablo Montoya did it across two series. Montoya won the Indianapolis 500 as a one-off Indy Racing League entry for Chip Ganassi Racing. The following week Montoya won at Milwaukee as a full-time CART competitor. The last driver to win the Indianapolis 500 and the following race while competing in the same series was Arie Luyendyk in 1997, who won Indianapolis and then the inaugural Texas race. 

Since that week in 2000, no driver has been able to win consecutive races starting with the Indianapolis 500, regardless if it was over two series, just in the IRL or after re-unification. 

The last 23 Indianapolis 500 winners have an average finish of 8.6521 in the race following Indianapolis. Last year, Newgarden's tenth-place finish in Detroit made him the 15th of the last 23 winners to have a top ten finish in the subsequent race. It was the eighth time in the last nine years that the Indianapolis 500 winner was in the top ten of the following race. The lone exception in that run was Hélio Castroneves in 2021, who did not run the following race as he was a part-time driver.

Since 2013, the only Indianapolis 500 winner to finish in the top five in the following race was Takuma Sato in 2020 when Sato was runner-up at Gateway. Since 2001, there have been three other occasions where the Indianapolis winner was runner-up in the following race. It happened in consecutive seasons in 2007 and 2008 with Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, both occurring at Milwaukee. Franchitti did it again in 2012, this time finishing second at Belle Isle. 

Newgarden led two laps last year at Detroit and it was only the seventh time in the last 23 years the Indianapolis 500 winner led a lap in the following race. It was also the fifth time the Indianapolis 500 winner led fewer than 15 laps in that race. The only time the "500" winner led the most laps in the following race was Dixon leading 147 laps on his way to finish second at Milwaukee in 2008.

Three times has Newgarden won consecutive races in his career, including in each of the last two seasons. Entering this season, Newgarden had not had the best results on street courses in the past few years. He was first on the road at St. Petersburg in March before his disqualification, and he was credited for fourth at Long Beach. Newgarden has not finished on the podium in a street race since his 2022 Long Beach victory, ten street races ago. 

Newgarden's average finish on street courses since 2022 is 9.333. He has been classified in the top five in three of the last four street course races dating back to last season, though Newgarden has technically finished in the top five on the road in all four events.

How Did This Winner Do at Indianapolis?

We spend a lot of time looking at how the Indianapolis 500 winner does in the following race and view the lack of a consecutive victory as some kind of hangover or let down. However, how does the winner of the race after the "500" do in the "500" itself? 

Is it a case of a driver riding a wave of momentum from Speedway, Indiana and into the next event? Do drivers bounce back from bad days and put May disappointments behind them? Is it rather scattered and there no clear pattern?

Let's dive into it!

The average finishing position for the winner after Indianapolis in the Indianapolis 500 is 9.772. Thirteen of the 23 winners had finished in the top ten at Indianapolis in the race prior. Only six of those drivers were top five finishes. Three of those drivers were runner-up finishers. 

Only once in the last 23 years has the winner following Indianapolis finished outside the top twenty in the "500." That was Ryan Briscoe in 2008, who won at Milwaukee a week after he was 23rd at Indianapolis. This is unfavorable news for the likes of Kyffin Simpson, Agustín Canapino, Will Power, Felix Rosenqvist, Linus Lundqvist, Marcus Armstrong, Pietro Fittipaldi and Marcus Ericsson.

Since 2001, four times has the ninth-place finish at Indianapolis gone on to win the next race, the most frequent position to follow up Indianapolis with a victory. This should be pleasing news for Rinus VeeKay.

Only three times has the driver who has led the most laps in the Indianapolis 500 gone on to win the following race. Tony Kanaan led the most laps at Indianapolis in 2007 but the timing of a rainstorm prevented him from finishing better than 12th. Kanaan followed it up with a victory at Milwaukee. Scott Dixon led the most laps at Indianapolis in 2009 with 73 laps led and in 2020 with 111 laps led, however Dixon finished sixth and second respectively in those races. He followed it up with victories at Milwaukee and Gateway respectively.

In nine of the last 23 years, the winner following the Indianapolis 500 did not led a lap at Indianapolis. Four other drivers led fewer than ten laps at Indianapolis. 

In the last 23 years, on one occasion did the winner after Indianapolis not run the Indianapolis 500. That was Mike Conway in 2013, who did not participate at Indianapolis, but took over the #18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda at Belle Isle and then proceeded to win the first race of that doubleheader weekend. 

This is good news for both Dale Coyne Racing drivers this weekend. Jack Harvey will be back in the #18 Honda after Nolan Siegel failed to qualify in this car for the 108th Indianapolis 500. Dale Coyne Racing will welcome back Tristan Vautier in the #51 Honda for Detroit. Vautier last ran an IndyCar race at Texas in 2017, driving in place of an injured Sébastien Bourdais at Dale Coyne Racing.

Scott Dixon has won the race after the Indianapolis 500 in five of the last 23 years. The only other drivers with multiple victories in the race after Indianapolis in this timespan are Tony Kanaan and Will Power, two drivers that have won this race twice. Each time Power won the race after Indianapolis he won the championship. In eight of the 23 seasons has the winner of the race after Indianapolis gone on to win the championship, including in five of the last six seasons. 

The Manufacturers' Battle

Through five races, it is as evenly split as it can be in terms of victories. Chevrolet holds a three to two edge over Honda with 12 races remaining in the season. However, these races have all been rather one-sided. 

Though Patricio O'Ward is credited with the victory, Josef Newgarden led 92 of 100 laps at St. Petersburg. Chevrolet had taken the first four spots on the road prior to the disqualification of two Penske drivers. Either way, it was still a 1-2 for the American manufacturer with Will Power elevating to second after Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin were removed from the podium. 

However, at Long Beach, Honda took charge, sweeping the podium with Scott Dixon leading the way. Honda drivers combined to lead 51 of 85 laps, and Honda took seven of the top ten starting positions in the race. 

Bouncing down to Barber Motorsports Park, Chevrolet again controlled proceedings. With 73 of 90 laps led, Chevrolet went 1-2 again with Scott McLaughlin ahead of Will Power and that is how those two started the race as well. 

At the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Honda took four of the top five spots with Álex Palou winning the race with 39 laps led from pole position. Honda drivers combined for 82 of 85 laps led. Honda drivers led the opening 41 laps. 

Chevrolet was on top at the Indianapolis 500. Chevrolet drivers led 155 of 200 laps. Of the seven drivers that led at least ten laps, six drove Chevrolets. The only Honda driver to lead more than five laps was Scott Dixon with 12. It was Chevrolet's third 1-2 finish of the season with Josef Newgarden ahead of Patricio O'Ward. Chevrolet took seven of the top ten finishers and 13 of the top twenty. 

The 2024 season has seen the manufacturers alternate victories. If the pattern holds in Detroit, Honda should take the victory, and it would be its second consecutive victory on Chevrolet's doorstep. 

Last year, Honda won thanks to Álex Palou leading 74 of 100 laps from pole position. Honda drivers combined to lead another eight laps giving the Japanese manufacturer 82 laps led. Honda and Chevrolet did split the top ten. Honda has won eight of the last nine street courses dating back to Toronto in 2022.

In the manufacturers' championship, Chevrolet has the lead with 408 points to Honda's 386 points. In the drivers' championship, Honda has the top two spots and three of the top five, but the manufacturers are evenly represented in the top ten, each with five drivers apiece. Four different teams are represented in the top eight drivers. 

Through five races there have been five different winners from three different teams, but only one Honda team has won a race. That would be Chip Ganassi Racing. This is the second consecutive season to see five different winners through five races, and the third time in four seasons. The 2021 season opened with seven different winners. Only five teams have put a car on the podium this season through 15 possible opportunities, three Honda teams and two Chevrolet.

IMSA

This is the second of two street course weekends that IndyCar and IMSA shares. Like Long Beach in April, the GTP class will lead the way in IMSA. Unlike Long Beach in April, the GTD Pro class will compete in Detroit and not the GTD class.

The #7 Porsche of Dane Cameron and Felipe Nasr has finished on the podium in every race this season and the 24 Hours of Daytona winners lead the GTP championship with 1,357 points. Fifty points back is the #31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac of Jack Aitken and Pipo Derani. The #31 Cadillac has finished second in three of four races this season.

The #01 Cadillac of Sébastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande won at Long Beach and is third in the championship, 88 points off the top. There have been four different winners through the first four races. The #40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura of Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz won at Sebring and takes fourth in the championship with 1,244 points, 13 points ahead of Laguna Seca winners Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy in the #6 Porsche.

BMW has yet to finish on the podium this season. The #25 BMW of Connor De Phillippi and Nick Yelloly has 1,088 points, 35 points more than the #24 BMW of Philipp Eng and Jesse Krohn. It has been a rough season for the #10 WTRAndretti Acura of Ricky Taylor and Felipe Albuquerque. With a best finish of fifth, the #10 Acura is a point behind the #24 BMW. 

Gianmaria Bruni has Bent Viscaal remaining as his co-driver in the #5 Proton Competition Porsche for a second consecutive round. Bruni has scored 1,026 points this season, 13 more than Richard Westbrook and Tijmen van der Helm in the #85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Porsche. 

After a victory at Laguna Seca, Laurin Heinrch and Sea Priaulx lead the GTD Pro championship with 981 points in the #77 AO Racing Porsche. Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth trail by 56 points in the #14 VasserSullivan Lexus. Paul Miller Racing is 93 points off the championship lead with Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow in the #1 BMW, 21 points ahead of the #23 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin of Mario Farnbacher and Ross Gunn. 

Corvette has one podium finish through three races with the #3 Corvette of Antonio García and Alexander Sims on 812 points, four points ahead of the #4 Corvette of Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg. Pfaff Motorsports is coming off its first podium finish of the season with Oliver Jarvis and Marvin Kirchhöfer finishing second in the #9 McLaren at Laguna Seca. Pfaff has 799 points this season. 

Multimatic's Ford Mustang program has yet to score a top five finish this season. The #64 Ford of Harry Tincknell and Mike Rockenfeller has 774 points while Joey Hand and Dirk Müller have scored 746 points in the #65 Ford. 

There are two one-off entries for Detroit. VasserSullivan is entering the #15 Lexus for Parker Thompson and Frankie Montecalvo. Conquest Racing will run the #34 Ferrari for Daniel Serra and Albert Costa.

IMSA will hold its 100-minute race at 3:10 p.m. ET on Saturday June 1.

Indy Lights

Detroit will be the fifth round of the Indy Lights season, and Detroit marks a milestone weekend for the series. This will be the 500th race in series history. 

Jacob Abel enters this historic weekend with a 25-point lead in the championship over Nolan Siegel. Abel has finished second, first, first and second over the first four races with three pole positions. Siegel opened the year with finishes of first, second and second, but he was fifth in the second race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. 

Louis Foster won the second race on the IMS road course and Foster is up to third in the championship on 142 points. Caio Collet sits in fourth on 109 points, one ahead of Myles Rowe. Michael d'Orlando's season will continue onward to Detroit. D'Orlando is sixth the championship on 104 points, eighth ahead of James Roe, Jr., and Reece Gold. 

Callum Hedge has 93 points, one more than Jonathan Browne. Salvador de Alba has 83 points, nine more than Christian Bogle, and Jamie Chardwick, who was third in the first IMS road course race, is 13th with 69 points.

Last year, Reece Gold and Nolan Siegel split the Detroit doubleheader. Abel was fourth and ninth. Foster started on pole position for each race but finished 19th and third. 

The Indy Lights race will be at 10:35 a.m. ET on Sunday June 2. The race is scheduled for 45 laps.

Fast Facts

This will be the tenth IndyCar race to take place on June 2 and the first since Scott Dixon won at Belle Isle in 2019. Dixon also won at Belle Isle on June 2, 2018. 

The winner of the sixth race of the season has not gone onto win the championship since Simon Pagenaud in 2019.

In four of the last five years IndyCar has held races in Detroit, one of the Detroit race winners has gone onto win the championship that season. 

There have been seven different winners in the last seven races held in Detroit, Michigan. 

Chip Ganassi Racing has won three of the last five races held in Detroit, Michigan, and four of the last eight. 

Last year, Álex Palou won the Detroit race from pole position. The pole-sitter won three of five street course races last year, and the pole-sitter has finished first on the road in four of the last six street course races.

The average starting position for the last seven street course winners is 3.7142 with a median of third. 

Five of the last seven street course winners started in the top five. On the other two occasions, the winner started eighth each time. 

It has been 26 races since the second-place starting position has produced a winner. The most recent winner to start second was Alexander Rossi in the July 2022 IMS road course race.

It has been 78 races since the sixth-place starting position has produced a winner. The most recent winner to start sixth was Scott Dixon at Belle Isle in 2019. This year's Detroit race falls on the five-year anniversary of that race.

The most recent 1-2-3 finish on a street course was Andretti Green Racing's 1-2-3-4 finish at St. Petersburg in 2005.

Hélio Castroneves will drive the #66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda entry this weekend in place of Tom Blomqvist. Castroneves is second all-the in IndyCar starts with 392. He is 15 starts behind tying Mario Andretti's record of 407.

With his start in the Indianapolis 500, Scott Dixon moved into sole possession of third all-time in IndyCar starts with 390, breaking a tie with Tony Kanaan.

Five different drivers have set fastest lap in each race this season. 

There were ten lead changes in last year's Detroit race. It was one of two road/street course races last year to have at least ten lead changes.

The most recent street course race without a lead change was the 2012 Belle Isle race where Scott Dixon led all 60 laps. That race was shortened from 90 laps due to track conditions when the surface was coming apart and the damage caused James Hinchcliffe to have an accident. 

Last year's Detroit race had seven caution periods for 32 laps.

Predictions

Josef Newgarden continues his heater and wins with at least 70 laps led but was a stiff challenge from Álex Palou, who will record his eighth consecutive top five finish dating back to last season. Andretti Global will have a podium finisher. At least three drivers that finished outside the top twenty in the Indianapolis 500 will finish in the top ten in Detroit. There will be fewer caution laps and fewer caution periods than last year's race. Romain Grosjean will avoid contact with the barriers. Graham Rahal will not hit a barrier under caution. We will have at least 15 consecutive green flag laps from the start of the race. Patricio O'Ward will not have a penalty that leads to him making a mistake on track. Sleeper: Marcus Armstrong.

First Impressions: 108th Indianapolis 500

1. I am not one for hyperbole, but Josef Newgarden's final lap pass was something special. There were many more outside passes than I can recall in the Indianapolis 500, and Newgarden was the master of them on the Sunday afternoon of the 108th running of the race. 

His pass for the victory was one thing, but he had two or three other incredible moves that seemed unfathomable in maybe 105 of the first 107 editions of this race. This race had eight cautions and there were about 12 other times it felt we were destined for a caution when a bold move seemed to be foolish, yet more times than not they stuck. Newgarden might have had most of them. 

If there were any doubts over his ability or his bravery, those can be cast aside. Newgarden has a history of bold moves. His winning move at Gateway in 2017 put himself, his championship hopes and teammate Simon Pagenaud at risk, but through the inside he went and it was a statement victory for Newgarden in his first year with Team Penske. He went to the outside of Scott McLaughlin at Texas two years ago when no one was confident a pass to the outside could stick and Newgarden won the drag race to the checkered flag. This was another level. 

It was the final lap of the Indianapolis 500, the penultimate corner at that. It is either going to stick or the cars will be stuck into the barrier. It is either the greatest highlight of your career or the greatest lowlight. In a split second we saw the divination of "thrill of victory" or "agony of defeat" decided in front of our very eyes. Newgarden ended up in the former for the second consecutive year and only added to what is already a great career. 

Two championships, two Indianapolis 500 victories, 30 career victories for a second time, and at only 33 years old with a 34th birthday not until December. We are very much at the middle of his career, but far from the apex. 

2. Patricio O'Ward is IndyCar's transcended superstar in waiting. O'Ward was second but he was already a winner. During practice week, a gaggle of school children were chanting his name one afternoon, and O'Ward proceeded to take photos and sign autographs for them. After the race, a rush of fans with pit passes flocked to his pit box in a form of consolation but congratulations. O'Ward didn't win the race, but he won more than that. 

With Speedway, Indiana's sentimental favorite Tony Kanaan on his pit stand, yesterday was a torch passing and O'Ward now has that honor. For the third consecutive year, the greatest glory of his career was within touching distance and he couldn't quite grasp it. No one will have more people behind him in 2025 than O'Ward, not even Newgarden who has history on his plate as potentially the first driver to win three consecutive "500s." 

O'Ward's charism could carry him further than IndyCar's bubble can take him. He can attract the younger demographic, looking for someone to represent whatever letter generation we are on now, but he also has the respect of older fans who know talent when they see it. They emphasize with his heartbreak and want him to win the greatest race to see the relief when it happens.

O'Ward can become a star in a country on the U.S. border with about 130 millions inhabitants of its own and also become a known name in the United States. He is the fan favorite at every track. IndyCar might not be able to make him more, but perhaps McLaren can. Perhaps O'Ward can become IndyCar's first truly national name in nearly two decades. This race, though defeat, has brought O'Ward a wave of new supporters.

3. This wasn't a race Scott Dixon should have won, but that has kind of been Dixon's M.O. lately. If anything, it would be fitting if such a day should have come in the Indianapolis 500. Dixon has lost the Indianapolis 500 so many times in days where he should have won that winning one that wasn't his best day would have evened the score. It wasn't the case, but it was still a drive from 21st to third on a more aggressive strategy and while avoiding a blocking penalty in the process. 

The contact with Ryan Hunter-Reay, which brought out the caution on lap 107, is more 50/50 than many want to admit. It seemed like a block. The only way I imagine Dixon avoided a penalty is Hunter-Reay clipped the grass before contact with Dixon. Dixon was moving down but Hunter-Reay was also going further inside and going toward the grass on his own, not because Dixon forced him there. Dixon did Hunter-Reay no favors, but he didn't drive him into the grass. Hunter-Reay was heading toward it on his own.

4. Nine starts, six top five finishes. That is Alexander Rossi's record in the Indianapolis 500. For a driver that was fourth-best all month, Rossi cannot say he was hard done in fourth. It might burn he was the second-best Arrow McLaren representative and a Honda driver beat him, but he was fourth all month, and rightfully was one of the best on the day. 

What likely cost Rossi the most was stopping two laps earlier than the rest of the leaders for his final stop. He had to save some fuel and it was at a time when Newgarden and O'Ward turned up the pace. Rossi couldn't counter. It wasn't the worst decision in the history of motorsports. It was a well-calculated risk. It didn't work his Rossi's favor on this day, but it wasn't failure either.

5. Death, taxes, top ten finishes for Álex Palou, change the scoreboard to 23 consecutive races with a top ten result, and it was again a race where Palou was not really in the mix until he was. Palou was good. Some pit stops got him track position and he spent some laps in the top five, but he did not spend a great deal of the race in the main picture for the race lead. You could say that was never the case, but for a driver whose consistency has been the key to two championships in three years, Palou is on the path to another. 

The Catalan leaves Indiana as the championship leader, though with his senior teammates close to his heels. Palou is ready for the fight and is already ahead. Everyone else is in trouble. 

6. Scott McLaughlin faded a tad and was not happy with his clutch as the race wore on. The pole-sitter led 64 laps, the most in the race. The race took a turn in final 200 miles and Newgarden took over while O'Ward and Dixon brought more pace on their alternate strategy. It didn't quite shake out for McLaughlin, but it is still his best Indianapolis performance and he will be back next year. 

7. There is much you do not see when watching the race at the track, and you likely missed most of Kyle Kirkwood's day, but it was much more eventful than a normal seventh-place result. Kirkwood nearly missed his pit box early because strategist Bryan Herta was watching Felix Rosenqvist and counting the wrong car to the pit box. Then Kirkwood bumped Callum Ilott on pit lane, sending Ilott through his pit box and that earned Kirkwood a penalty. Despite all this, Kirkwood went off-strategy on a six-stopper to increase his pace and it put him in the top five in the final laps. 

Kirkwood was having a good drive anyway and he got shuffled back to seventh after Palou and McLaughlin matched his pace as the finish approached. It was another good day for Kirkwood, and he led the way for an Andretti Global organization that had a disappointing race across the board.

8. Santino Ferrucci made history becoming the first driver in the history of the Indianapolis 500 to have six top ten finishes in his first six "500" starts. It was eighth this year, a tad off where Ferrucci was for a good portion of the race. Ferrucci was running second for a good while, but he lost four spots on one slow stop, and as others broke off onto a six-stop strategy, Ferrucci lost some ground and it took him out of position for something greater. Ferrucci has a feel for the Speedway. He has avoided bad days so far. That will not last forever, but he has been doing the right things. Don't expect anything to change anytime soon.

9. Rinus VeeKay's penalty for hip-checking another car on pit lane turned into a blessing because it allowed VeeKay to pit slightly off-sequence and leap up to the front when the leaders had to come. It got VeeKay track position and netted him a ninth-place finish. However, this is the third time in five Indianapolis 500 starts that a pit problem has cost VeeKay. It happened in his rookie year, and that is forgivable. The last two years are harder to forgive. Once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern. VeeKay has a pattern and is in a contract year. Remember that.

10. Leaning into the stereotype, Conor Daly keeps getting the luck of the Irish with cautions in the Indianapolis 500. This is the third time in the last four Indianapolis 500s that cautions went in his favor. In 2021, it gave him the lead. In 2022, it put him at the front. In 2024, Daly stopping on lap four under the first caution allowed him to lead when the lead when the rest of the field came in on lap 24. The strategy wasn't going to net Daly a victory, but it gave him track position and the remaining cautions fell in his favor, not shuffling him backward. Daly still looked racy while at the front and tenth was a well-earned finish. 

11. Callum Ilott had a day. Ilott was hit on the open lap when Pietro Fittipaldi came down as Tom Blomqvist spun and collected Marcus Ericsson. Then Ilott was shoved through his pit box, though I don't believe that was 100% on Kirkwood and I think Ilott made a minor error judging the turn in for his pit box, but it was a set back and Ilott still rose to 11th on a seven-stop strategy!

We do not know when we will see Ilott again in IndyCar. This car is Théo Pourchaire's for the remainder of the season. Ilott will focus on his FIA World Endurance Championship duty. I don't know if we will ever see Ilott again in IndyCar. He was a surprise inclusion in 2021 with Juncos Hollinger Racing of all teams. He impressed many over two full seasons and arguably was set up for a promotion. An untimely dismissal from JHR put Ilott's career and flux, but he found a soft-landing in sports cars. Then David Malukas broke his wrist and McLaren came calling. 

The greatest ability is availability. Ilott was not fully available due to his WEC role. Arrow McLaren was able to call in a young stud to fill the vacancies remaining after Ilott's first few weeks with the team. This is the turning point in Ilott's career. Let's see where we are in ten years.

12. This is where we make the case for Christian Rasmussen as Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. It is not as simple as best finisher. It never has been. That is ok. There are four criteria: Skill, sportsmanship, accessibility and finishing position. It also isn't about just the race but the entire event including practice and qualifying. 

At time of writing, I do not know if Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year has been awarded, but here is the case for Rasmussen.

When it comes to skill, Rasmussen didn't screw up an upshift on a restart and lose ten positions. Kyle Larson did. Rasmussen didn't speed entering the pit lane on a green flag stop. Kyle Larson did. Point to Rasmussen. 

As for sportsmanship, Rasmussen rubbed some people the wrong way with questionable moves in practice. Kyle Larson didn't do that. Point to Larson.

The problem with accessibility is it is not evenly asked for. Everyone wanted to talk to Kyle Larson all month, and Larson obliged pretty much every time. Rasmussen didn't draw the same attention. That is understandable, but we cannot use that against Rasmussen. It is about accessibility, not attention. Back in 2022, Jimmie Johnson was always going to get interest. A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will end up on Jimmy Fallon's show ahead of his first Indianapolis 500 start. David Malukas wasn't getting on Jimmy Fallon's show days before his "500" debut no matter what he does. 

You cannot equate interest for accessibility. It really isn't a criteria that should exist. 

What should exist is average running position because finishing position can be misleading. You can run an entire race around 20th and then catch a spat of cautions and finish tenth because cars were taken out. If you were 20th for 185 laps, do those 15 laps in tenth really cancel anything out? 

When it comes to average running position, Rasmussen's average was 13.23 to Larson's 12.295. They were on average within a position of each either the entire.

Breaking it down further, Larson was ahead of Rasmussen for 112 of 200 laps. What hurts Larson were the 17 laps he spent off the lead lap and the 35 laps he spent outside the top twenty. Rasmussen spent only eight laps outside the top twenty despite starting 24th, and he was inside the top twenty for the final 176 laps. 

If you substitute average running position for accessibility, it is 2-2 with Rasmussen leading on skill and finishing position while Larson gets average running position and sportsmanship. How do you break the tie?

Though Larson led four laps during a pit cycle, I think we must acknowledge Rasmussen went from 24th to 12th and finished a little more than a spot better than his average running position while Larson ended up almost six spots worse than his average running position despite starting fifth. 

I still don't know who won, it took well nearly two hours to go over all this data, but it was probably Larson, wasn't it? 

13. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing made it easy on us and we can group three of its four entries here because Christian Lundgaard was 13th, Takuma Sato was 14th and Graham Rahal was 15th. It was a much more competitive day for RLLR than in recent years. Lundgaard and Rahal each stopped on lap four and got some laps at the front. They held their own. Sato was rather unnoticed in this race. He had some moves but nothing that made you think he was a threat. It feels like RLLR should have had a top ten finisher, but taking the final three spots in the top fifteen is good enough.

14. Nobody benefited more from stopping on lap four than Sting Ray Robb. After being cycled to the front on multiple occasions, Robb led 23 laps, the third-most in the race. Who had that on their bingo card? He ended up finishing 16th and was not a factor in the conclusion. It has been the best day of his IndyCar career so far. 

15. Ed Carpenter started and finished 17th. Carpenter lost time because when Ilott was knocked through his pit stall after contact with Kirkwood, Ilott ended up in Carpenter's stall and Carpenter was behind him and waiting to get into his pit box. That was an unfortunate mistake that hurt Carpenter when it shouldn't have. Either way, Carpenter wasn't going to be much better than the top fifteen today. He was the third best of the three Ed Carpenter Racing cars.

16. This brings us to Kyle Larson and I think a case can be made that he should win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. Larson made some rookie errors, but he was a rookie. This was his first IndyCar race let alone first Indianapolis 500. It isn't like Rasmussen did anything spectacular, but I don't think Larson did either. Larson did well. He had some learning moments. After the missed shift on the first restart, Larson made up spots over those next few laps. That isn't easy to do. 

What Larson saw was how tough it is when you get in the top ten. It is tough to break into the top five. It is tougher to run with the leaders. He probably should have finished in the top ten. Not necessarily fifth or sixth and near O'Ward and Rossi, but eighth or ninth or tenth.

As for The Double, what brutal turn of events, but this is what makes The Double special. It is 1,100 miles, but you also need conditions to be in your favor. Larson caught the first weather-delayed Indianapolis 500 in 17 years. On the backend, he brought the weather with him to Charlotte and the rain prevented him from getting in the car for the sake of participation as he was on the pit wall with his helmet on ready to tag-in for Justin Allgaier.

Larson was considerably hard on himself on Twitter posting a response to the weekend. He cannot control the weather. He sucks that things didn't line up and that he made a few errors that cost him positions in the Indianapolis 500, but this wasn't a failure. He did well and this is two-year program. Larson and company should take a run at 2025.

17. Romain Grosjean really didn't stand out today and he was 19th. Grosjean did look rather disappointed walking back to Gasoline Alley moments after the race ended. To be fair, I don't think he ran much better than 19th all race.

18. Hélio Castroneves had a strange day and even after watching the broadcast, I am unsure of what happened. Castroneves started in the middle of the pack, worked his way into the top ten, and then in the closing stages he was nowhere to be seen and he ended up 20th.

Looking at the lap chart, Castroneves was eighth when the pit cycle began on lap 127 and when all those stops cycled through, he was 14th. It looks like Castroneves had a long stop on lap 132, and his final stop on lap 172 wasn't much better. There is your answer.

19. Kyffin Simpson didn't finish better than his starting position in this race, but he did fine for a rookie with no expectations. He was 21st and ran all 500 miles. Twelve drivers are not going to be able to say that about their 108th Indianapolis 500. It was a good day for Simpson.

20. Agustín Canapino will be rueing this day because Canapino not only was penalized for pit lane speeding on lap 169, but it was a stop and go penalty and not a drive-through. It is not clear how Canapino's speeding penalty was more egregious than other speeding penalties that it was a stop and go, but that must be the case. It is a shame because Canapino drove into the top ten. This felt like a race where about 15 drivers should have finished somewhere between sixth and tenth. Canapino was one of those guys.

21. Colton Herta will also be rueing this day because he was second when he spun out of the Indianapolis 500. The only problem is Herta probably could have kept going. He only had front wing damage. The suspension was fine. It is understandable that Herta thought his race was over, but everything was fine. Ninety-nine times out of 100, that spin does end a race. Herta thought it did but it didn't. 

In hindsight, it feels like someone should have pointed out to Herta that the suspension was fine, but I think everyone on the team was likely distraught and couldn't pick that out. Once Herta started undoing his buckles, he had to get out of the car and the car had to go on the flatbed. He pulled out of the race when 17 laps down. He might not have been able to get back into the top ten had they realized the car was fine, but Herta could have finished 14th and earned himself nine more points in the championship. 

Credit to the team for getting the car back out there because it earned Herta two more points, inconsequential now but could be valuable come September.

22. Will Power had an accident but this wasn't meant to be Power's Indianapolis 500. Come race day, he was the worse of the three Team Penske entries, but he wasn't the worst and running in seventh or eighth. Power could not hang onto the top ten. The accident was only salt in the wound. It stings because it is the Indianapolis 500. When he looks at the championship standings, it will only hurt more.

23. Marco Andretti had a slow spin end his race and put him 25th in the final order. We could write the same thing every year about Andretti. He stopped running full-time when he was struggling to finish in the top fifteen on the regular basis. Next year could be his 20th Indianapolis 500. I don't know if we will see many more beyond that.

24. Ryan Hunter-Reay had a tough exit to this race. Again, I don't think Hunter-Reay did anything wrong, I think he clipped the grass just before the contact with Dixon and that is why it wasn't a penalty. Either way, it ended Hunter-Reay's race. It wasn't Hunter-Reay's greatest day, but he wanted a shot to complete the 500 miles. That didn't happen.

Hunter-Reay did receive a warm reception after his interview over the public address system. Hunter-Reay also brought up something that adds perspective to this year's race. Hunter-Reay had never been in an Indianapolis 500 with a weather delay. His first "500" was in 2008 and other than missing 2022, he has been in every one since. That is pretty incredible when you think about it.

25. Honda had a rough day. The bottom seven were Honda drivers. Three of those were due to engine failures. Three Hondas were collected in the opening lap accident when Tom Blomqvist spun into the path of Marcus Ericsson and Pietro Fittipaldi took evasive action to avoid those two, but clipped Callum Ilott and sent Fittipaldi spinning out on his own. 

That opening lap incident is fluky, but it is also the case that it was three Hondas that were collected because Honda had a bunch of cars at the rear of the grid. That lack of speed put Honda in that position. 

It isn't a case that Honda was slow, but it didn't quite have what it took to beat the Chevrolets. Dixon led 12 laps, the most for a Honda drive. The next most for a Honda driver were four for Christian Lundgaard during a pit cycle. Other than Dixon, all Honda laps led come through pit cycle. Dixon looked good once he got to the front. If Herta didn't spin, he could have taken the fight to Newgarden and company, but Herta and Dixon ended up being Honda's only best options in what was an off-year. 

26. Let's cover some of those Honda drivers. Felix Rosenqvist lost his engine on lap 56. Rosenqvist was in the top ten. This was a harsh way for his top ten streak to end. It was the wrong time for Meyer Shank Racing to have its first bad day of the season. Rosenqvist didn't even complete 150 miles, but he was in the top ten at the time and he could have held onto that pace. His day was going to be better than 27th, but it was too early to tell if Rosenqvist could climb up the order. 

27. Linus Lundqvist was on the inside of a four-wide situation into turn one and the car walked up the track. Lundqvist did all he could to save it. He had five occasions where he kept it straight, but on the sixth attempt he was around. Not a first month of May to remember for Lundqvist, a debut of 28th.

28. Katherine Legge and Dale Coyne Racing were put out of their misery. Their day lasted only 22 laps. Coyne already has a lot of work to do. For Legge, it could be her last Indianapolis 500. She went a decade between starts. Her program is entirely dependent on funding. We aren't going to know immediately if E.L.F got its return on investment. If E.L.F. moves on, Legge might not be back. That is the reality of motorsports.

29. Marcus Armstrong lost his engine after barely two turns at anger. He lost it on lap seven under caution. I guess even if Tom Blomqvist didn't spin, we were going to have a caution early anyway because if Armstrong's engine expired after six caution laps, it probably would not have made it through two laps at speed. Armstrong was in the pit lane after the race and he looked ill. After all that waiting, his first Indianapolis 500 lasted 15 miles. 

30. Speaking of waits for first Indianapolis 500s, Tom Blomqvist didn't even make it a turn. Just like his IndyCar debut, Blomqvist didn't complete a lap, hell, didn't complete a corner. This time it falls squarely on Blomqvist's shoulders. He took out Marcus Ericsson, who had a month of May to regret and who has had a rough start to his season, and Pietro Fittipaldi was again caught in an incident not of his making. Talk about an omen for Honda.

31. A few notes... 

There were eight cautions, but this race was still completed in under three hours. That is impressive. 

I thought an evening Indianapolis 500 was incredible. The way that golden hour settled over the front straightaway was breathtaking with full grandstands. We really haven't seen that since the 1995 Brickyard 400. It is something we really haven't seen in modern times with the Indianapolis 500. We do not have to do this again. This was fun for the circumstances, but I am glad to experience it.

Allen Bestwick and Dave Calabro provide one of the best PA race broadcasts out there. First off, Indianapolis Motor Speedway is genius to have Bestwick on the call. Second, it is a great broadcast for those in the stands. It is informative but engaging. There are plenty of races that do not have great PA broadcasts, even if they are only providing race updates between using the IMS Radio broadcast. At some places I wonder where they find these people and how they passed the audition. As with many things with Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the PA team is top-notch. 

32. Nobody left. Four-hour delay. Nobody left. The place was packed. How many races do we see rain delays and people scatter? Some go home because they have to because it will be a late night. Some didn't even bother and ate the money on the tickets or will get a reimbursement. Nobody left. There were not patches of aluminum in the background as the laps wound down. 

That is a testament to this race and what it means to the community. It is more than a race, but the race made people stay. Everyone knew we were going to see something special. It didn't matter what it was but it would be special. It ended up being the first repeat winner in over 20 years and only the sixth in Indianapolis 500 history. Perhaps Kyle Larson helped. He stayed so many other stayed too. It could be that it was Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and we all had nowhere better to be. Either way, it was something beautiful to see. 

33. 364 days until the 109th Indianapolis 500.

Musings From the Weekend: IndyCar’s Statement Race

Here is a rundown of what got me thinking…

This will be a little different. You are getting Musings now, and a first impressions for the Indianapolis 500 will come tonight or tomorrow after I have watched the broadcast. What I do know is Josef Newgarden has onions, Patricio O’Ward is IndyCar’s potential superstar that transcend the series, Kyle Larson brought the rain with him to Charlotte, Monaco was happy, I haven’t watched MotoGP and don’t plan on it until I am through Indianapolis. I am not spoiling that weekend for me. Either way, the 108th Indianapolis 500 turned out to be different, yet it worked out.

IndyCar’s Statement Race

It was almost 7:45 pm local time when Josef Newgarden dashed across the yards of bricks to claim his second consecutive Indianapolis 500 after pulling off one of the most daring passes in the history of the race. 

The climax to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” was much later than expected. 

A torrential afternoon thunderstorm ripped through Speedway, Indiana. Festivities were paused due to lightning in the area. That was only the warm-up act. For about two hours a driving rainstorm baptized the circuit. Spectators clustered for shelter under the grandstands. Some were fortunate enough to make it back to their cars. Some were still in traffic, betting Mother Nature would delay the race. They were right. 

It was not a 12:45 pm green flag. It came four hours late, but once everyone was set up on the grid and the drivers had been introduced, the sun emerged in time for the anthem and the flyover. All memories of rains were expunged even if you were wearing soaked socks.

It had been 17 years since an Indianapolis 500 had experienced a weather delay. We were due. I guess if you consider that in the 11 years prior to that nearly half of those races had some rain interference, the least you could say is we are now even. Despite the waiting, those watching at the circuit and at home came out ahead.

For two hours, 58 minutes and 49 seconds, we were treated to a clunky yet spine-tingling race. The 108th Indianapolis 500 turned out to be the best-on-best-on-best-on-best-on-best. It was IndyCar at its highest level. All the main characters were there. If anything, this race told the story of IndyCar in the year 2024 of our Lord.

Rookies and inexperienced drivers were out early. A few veterans hanging on did not have their one final day in the sun. The snake-bitten were again pierced with fate’s cruel fangs. The race had a stupid combination of talent from Formula One veterans to an Argentine legend while two tin-top champions from opposite sides of the globe arguably have a case for best in the world. 

Colton Herta looked brilliant and yet stumbled. Somehow Conor Daly led again. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing looked good despite looking toothless seven days ago. Santino Ferrucci made history and showed again his talent at this facility. Kyle Kirkwood silently had another good day, but when it came to the end of it, the finish was between the best in IndyCar.

Álex Palou pulled off fifth, he wasn’t really in the picture, but he was there and he always ends up in the mix even on the days he is anonymous for 75% of it. Isn’t that a sign of greatness?

Alexander Rossi was at the front of another Indianapolis 500 in the closing stages. It did not end in victory, but Rossi has shown enough that his victory as a rookie was no fluke even if it required an incredible fuel conservation run. 

But IndyCar could not have asked for a better three-way fight to the finish. It was the two best drivers of the last decade against the next great driver in waiting. At no point was Scott Dixon mentioned as a favorite in the week leading up to the race, but Dixon was there and used a bit of strategy but also a fair share of passes to get there. Patricio O’Ward wasn’t having the greatest days, but O’Ward too used strategy to help get to the front. He held his own once he got there, making a strong case that he was the best on the day. 

Then there was Josef Newgarden. Three months ago, Newgarden was unquestionably loved, and clearly seen as a special talent leading his generation. A disqualification for a technical infraction sullied his good name. A victory was erased from Newgarden’s record and poor results, his worst form in nearly a decade followed. 

One year after the greatest victory in his career, Newgarden found redemption. A second Indianapolis 500 victory, let alone a second consecutive, puts you in rarified air. For Newgarden, it was the 30th victory of his IndyCar career. It might be the sweetest. 

It required a 46-lap, 115-mile bare-knuckle brawl. It wasn’t against any schlubs. This was the best IndyCar had to offer. Any of the top six finishers could make a case for being the face of the series. Any of the top six could not be discredited in victory. 

For a race that was delayed and attracting new viewers because Kyle Larson was in the field, IndyCar could not have picked a better time to have a statement race about what the series is and who leads the way. All of the players were there at the finish. That was the best IndyCar had competing for victory in the series’ greatest race. It featured breath-taking passes down the stretch and an increased level of risk-taking in each turn. It ended with the most daring move for all the glory and honor as a Hollywood script would have it. 

Less than 30 seconds after Patricio O’Ward thought he had done enough to etch his place in history, Newgarden pulled off another move of brilliance to change history and claim the spoils of victory. What else could you ask for?

It was worth the wait. Not just the finish, but all of it. The weather was glorious and an evening finish provided a new light to this century old race. The shadows created a beautiful scene on the front straightaway. It was not the mid-afternoon celebration we are all accustomed to seeing but an evening eruption of euphoria. For Newgarden, it was another triumph. For the packed grandstands, which had no pockets of exposed aluminum despite the delay, it was a joyful cry after a long day that will not be forgotten anytime soon.

It was a blessing to be there and experience it in-person.

Winners From the Weekend

You know about Josef Newgarden, but did you know...

Charles Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix. 

Christopher Bell won a rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600. Chase Elliott won the Grand National Series race. Nick Sanchez won the Truck race.

MotoGP's Catalunya Grand Prix weekend festivities will be watched soon!

Kelvin van der Linde and Thomas Preining split the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters races from the Lausitzring.

Mitch Evans and António Félix da Costa split the Shanghai ePrix.

Jett Lawrence swept the 450cc Motocross races from Fox Raceway. Haiden Dedham swept the 250cc races.

Taylor Barnard (sprint) and Zak O’Sullivan (feature) split the Formula Two races from Monaco. Nikola Tsolov (sprint) and Gabriele Mini (feature) split the Formula Three races.

Braden Eves won USF Pro 2000’s Freedom 90. Tanner DeFabis won U.S. F2000’s Freedom 75.

Coming Up This Weekend

IndyCar runs up to Detroit, and IMSA will be there as well.

MotoGP moves onto Mugello.

NASCAR jettisons to Gateway.

The 24 Hours Nürburgring will be held.

Super GT slides into Suzuka.

The World Rally Championship contests Rally d'Italia Sardegna.

Morning Warm-Up: 108th Indianapolis 500

The 108th Indianapolis 500 brings together 33 drivers from 14 different countries. Some of have spent much of their racing careers in the United States. Others started in different corners of the globe. Some started in tin-top vehicles. Others developed on dirt. A few followed fathers and grandfathers to this place. Some had no tie to motorsports but caught a bug and are looking to leave their mark on history. This year's race sees some historic occurrences. A front row that one team swept, a rookie who is believed to be the best in the world, and a driver from a Caribbean Island. Eight drivers have ended this day on the mountaintop before. For 25 drivers, they can only visualize what it would be like. Only one can make it there when this day is over.

Starting Grid

Row 1:

Scott McLaughlin 
This will be McLaughlin’s fourth Indianapolis 500 start. 
Best Finish: 14th (2023) 
Car #3 has won the Indianapolis 500 eleven times, the most victories for a car number. The last victory was in 2009 with Hélio Castroneves.  

Twenty-one times has the pole-sitter won the race, most recently Simon Pagenaud 2019.

This is the 19th pole position for a Team Penske driver. This is the first Indianapolis 500 pole position for Team Penske since Simon Pagenaud in 2019.

This is McLaughlin's seventh career pole position, and his second of the season. Three times has McLaughlin won from pole position, including at Barber Motorsports Park two races ago. This is his second pole position on an oval. He won pole position at Gateway last year.

In 14 oval starts, McLaughlin has five podium finishes, eight top five finishes and ten top ten finishes with an average finish of 8.928. The only oval track where McLaughlin has not had a top ten finish is Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His average finish at Indianapolis is 21st.

McLaughlin could become the first driver to win the Bathurst 1000 and the Indianapolis 500. 

McLaughlin could become the second New Zealander to win the Indianapolis 500, but the first New Zealand-born driver to win the race. New Zealand could become the sixth nation to produce multiple Indianapolis 500 winners. 

Will Power 
This will be Power’s 16th Indianapolis 500 start.  
2018 Indianapolis 500 winner. 
Car #12 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice, most recently with Power in 2019. The other was Peter DePaolo in 1925 driving the #12 Miller. 

Eleven times has the winner started second, most recently Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000.

Power has not won in his last 31 starts, the longest drought of his career. His most recent victory was the 2022 Belle Isle race.

Power has not won on an oval since Pocono 2019, 21 oval races ago. 

Power is currently tied with Johnny Rutherford for the fifth most 500-mile race victories in IndyCar history with five. 

Power needs to lead five laps to become the 41st driver to lead at least 150 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career. 

Power is tied for the 71st best average finish with Jack McGrath among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 13.625. A victory would lower his average finish to 12.8823 and put him 58th all-time. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 14.7647, which would drop him to 90th all-time. 

Power could become the eighth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 43 years, two months and 25 days old.

Josef Newgarden 
This will be Newgarden’s 13th Indianapolis 500 start.  
2023 Indianapolis 500 winner. 
Newgarden’s victory last year was the tenth time car #2 has won the Indianapolis 500. 

Thirteen times has the Indianapolis 500 winner started third, most recently Takuma Sato in 2020.

Newgarden is attempting to become the sixth driver to win consecutive Indianapolis 500s, and the first since Hélio Castroneves in 2001-02. 

Newgarden has finished outside the top fifteen in three of four races this season and in six of the last eight races dating back to last season.

With 29 career victories, Newgarden ranks tied for 13th all-time in IndyCar history with Rick Mears.

With 43 laps led, Newgarden is tied with Jimmy Gleason and Marcus Ericsson for 110th all-time in Indianapolis 500 history.

Last year, Newgarden became the first driver to win the Freedom 100 and Indianapolis 500 in a career. 
Newgarden also became the third past Indy Lights champion to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan.  

Newgarden is the first Tennessee-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500. 

Newgarden has the 61st best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 13.0833. A second consecutive victory would lower Newgarden’s average finish to 12.153, moving him to 51st all-time. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 14.615, which would drop him to 89th all-time. 

Row 2:

Alexander Rossi 
This will be Rossi’s ninth Indianapolis 500 start. 
2016 Indianapolis 500 winner. 
Car #7 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice but not since Bill Holland in 1949. 
Seven times has the winner started fourth, most recently Takuma Sato in 2017.

This is Rossi's best starting position in the Indianapolis 500 since he started third in 2017. This is only the fourth time since joining Arrow McLaren that Rossi has started in the top five in a race. 

Seven of Rossi's eight career victories have come from a starting position of third or better. The only time Rossi has won from outside the top three was the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016 when he started 11th.

Rossi needs to lead 19 laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Sixty-five drivers have led 100 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career. 

Rossi has led only 13 laps in his last 25 starts. 

Rossi is tied for the 20th best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 10.0. Rossi is tied with Mark Donohue and Alex Barron. A victory would lower his average finish to 9.0 and put him in a tie for 11th all-time with Ralph DePalma. The worst Rossi’s average finish can be after this race is 12.5555, which would drop him to 55th all-time. 

Kyle Larson 
This will be Larson’s first Indianapolis 500 start.  
Car #17 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, 1916 with Dario Resta. 

Eight time has the winner started fifth, most recently Marcus Ericsson in 2022.

This is Larson's IndyCar debut. 

Since the end of World War II, three drivers have won on debut (Graham Rahal in the 1966 Indianapolis 500, Nigel Mansell at Surfers Paradise in 1993 and Buzz Calkins in the inaugural Indy Racing League race at Walt Disney World Speedway in 1996). 

Larson could become the 11th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 on debut and the first since Alexander Rossi in 2016.

This will be the tenth time a driver has attempted to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day and the first since Kurt Busch in 2014. The only time a driver has completed all 1,100 miles between the two races was Tony Stewart in 2001.

Larson could become the first driver to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship and Indianapolis 500. 

Larson could become the first driver to win the Knoxville Nationals and Indianapolis 500. Larson is the fifth past Knoxville Nationals winner to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 joining Greg Weld, Joe Saldana, Jan Oppermam and Steve Kinser. 

Larson could become the third Arrow McLaren driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, joining Robert Wickens, who won it in 2018 when the team was Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, and Patricio O’Ward, who won it in 2020. 

Santino Ferrucci 
This will be Ferrucci’s sixth Indianapolis 500 start.  
Best Finish: 3rd (2024) 
Car #14 has won the Indianapolis 500 six times, most recently with Kenny Bräck in 1999. 

Five times has the winner started sixth, most recently Dan Wheldon in 2011.

Last year, Ferrucci became the third driver in Indianapolis 500 history to record five top ten finishes in his first five Indianapolis 500 starts. Ferrucci joined Harry Hartz and Hélio Castroneves. Hartz and Castroneves each finished 25th in their sixth Indianapolis 500 starts. 

Ferrucci has the fourth best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 6.0. A victory would lower Ferrucci’s average finish to 5.1667. The worst Ferrucci’s average finish can be after this race is 10.5, dropping him to 29th all-time. 

Ferrucci could become the first Connecticut-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 and he would be just the second Nutmugger to win an IndyCar race, joining Scott Sharp. 

A.J. Foyt Racing has not won an IndyCar race since the 2013 Grand Prix of Long Beach, 185 races ago.

A.J. Foyt Racing is tied for the fifth-most Indianapolis 500 victories for a team with three. The team's most recent Indianapolis 500 victory was in 1999 with Kenny Bräck.

Ferrucci could become the tenth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 25 years, 11 months and 25 days old. 

Row 3:

Rinus VeeKay 
This will be VeeKay’s fifth Indianapolis 500 start.  
Best Finish: 8th (2021) 
Car #21 has never won the Indianapolis 500. 

Five times has the winner started seventh, most recently A.J. Foyt in 1961.

This is VeeKay's worst starting position in the Indianapolis 500. His previous worst was fourth in 2020. He had started on the front row the previous three years. 

VeeKay has not finished in the top five in his last 27 starts. His most recent top five finish was fourth in the first Iowa race in 2022. 

VeeKay has not led in a race since he led 24 laps in last year's Indianapolis 500.

VeeKay's only career victory was 48 starts ago in the 2021 Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

VeeKay could become the second Dutchman to win the Indianapolis 500 after Arie Luyendyk. 

VeeKay could become the fourth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 23 years, eight months and 15 days old. VeeKay could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century. 

Patricio O’Ward 
This will be O’Ward fifth Indianapolis 500 start.  
Best Finish: 2nd (2022) 
Car #5 has won the Indianapolis 500 six times but not since Arie Luyendyk in 1997. 

Three times has the Indianapolis 500 winner started eighth, most recently Hélio Castroneves 2021.

This is the second consecutive year O'Ward is starting eighth in the Indianapolis 500.

O'Ward enters this year's Indianapolis 500 having finished outside the top ten in his last three starts. The only time he has gone at least four consecutive starts without a top ten finish was over seven starts between the 2019 and 2020 season.

O’Ward could become the fourth past Indy Lights champion to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden. 

O’Ward could become the first Mexican driver to win the Indianapolis 500. Mexico would become the 12th different nation to produce an Indianapolis 500 winner. 

O'Ward needs to lead 18 laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Sixty-five drivers have led 100 laps in the Indianapolis 500. 

O’Ward could become the ninth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 25 years and 20 days old. 

Felix Rosenqvist 
This will be Rosenqvist’s sixth Indianapolis 500 start.  
Best Finish: 4th (2022) 
Car #60 has never won the Indianapolis 500. 
Only once has the winner started ninth and that was Emerson Fittipaldi in 1993.

Rosenqvist is the top Honda starter. This is the third consecutive year Rosenqvist is starting on one of the first three rows.

Rosenqvist has not finished better than his starting position this season.

Rosenqvist could become the third Swedish driver to win the Indianapolis 500.  

Rosenqvist could become the second driver with victories in the Macau Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 joining Takuma Sato. 

Rosenqvist needs to lead 31 laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Sixty-five drivers have led 100 laps in the Indianapolis 500. 

Rosenqvist has the 201st best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 19.6. A victory would lower his average finish to 16.5, moving him up to tied for 127th all-time with Kevin Cogan, Sam Hornish, Jr., Tom Sneva and Alex Tagliani. The worst Rosenqvist's average finish can be after this race is 21.8333, which would drop him to 236th all-time. 

Row 4:

Takuma Sato 
This will be Sato’s 15th Indianapolis 500 start.  
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2017, 2020). 
Car #75 has never won the Indianapolis 500. 

Twice has the winner started tenth, most recently Gil de Ferran in 2003.

This is the first time car #75 has appeared in the Indianapolis 500 since Richie Hearn used it in 2000. 

This is third time Sato has started tenth in the Indianapolis 500. He has finished 33rd (2011) and 25th (2022) on the other two occasions. 

Sato needs to lead 13 laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Sato is the only multi-time Indianapolis 500 winner to have led fewer than 100 laps. Sixty-five drivers have led at least 100 laps in the Indianapolis 500. 

Sato is tied for the 113th best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 16.0 with Bill Cummings, Paul Goldsmith, Steve Krisiloff, Louis Schneider and Justin Wilson. A victory would lower Sato's average finish to 15, putting him tied with Don Freeland, Davy Jones and Roger Yasukawa for 94th all-time. The worst Sato’s average finish can be after this race is 17.1333, dropping him to 151st all-time. 

Sato could become the second-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 47 years, three months and 28 days old. Sato would become the first driver to win three Indianapolis 500s after turning 40 years old. 

Kyle Kirkwood 
This will be Kirkwood’s third Indianapolis 500 start. 
Best Finish: 17th (2022) 
Car #27 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently with Dario Franchitti in 2007. 

Three times has the winner started 11th, most recently Alexander Rossi in 2016.

This is Kirkwood's best starting position in the Indianapolis 500.

In ten career oval starts, Kirkwood has one top ten finish, a seventh in the first Iowa race last year. His average finish on an oval is 18.7.

Kirkwood could become the fourth Indy Lights championship to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden. 

Kirkwood could become the first Florida-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500. He was first Florida-born driver to win any IndyCar race when he won at Long Beach last year. 

Kirkwood could become the tenth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 25 years, seven months and seven days old. 

Ryan Hunter-Reay 
This will be Hunter-Reay's 16th Indianapolis 500 start. 
2014 Indianapolis 500 winner. 
Car #23 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice, 1931 with Louis Schneider and 1938 with Floyd Roberts. Those are the only race victories for car #23 in IndyCar history. 

Twice has the winner started 12th, most recently Tony Kanaan in 2013.

Hunter-Reay has made 58 starts since his most recent victory at Sonoma in the 2018 season finale.

Hunter-Reay could become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 for Chevrolet and Honda in the DW12-era. He would become the 12th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 with multiple engine manufacturers. 

Hunter-Reay needs to lead 29 laps to become the 31st driver to lead at least 200 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career. 

Hunter-Reay has the 104th best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 15.4667. A victory would lower his average finish to 14.5625, moving him up to 88th all-time. The worst Hunter-Reay's average finish can be after this race is 16.5625, which would drop him to 130th all-time. 

Hunter-Reay could become the eighth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 43 years, five months and nine days old. 

Row 5:

Colton Herta 
This will be Herta’s sixth Indianapolis 500 start.  
Best Finish: 8th (2020) 
Car #26 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice, Dan Wheldon in 2005 and Takuma Sato 2017. 
Four times has the winner started 13th, most recently Hélio Castroneves in 2002.

It has been 33 races since Herta's most recent victory in the 2022 Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

Herta has opened this season with four consecutive top ten finishes. He has not had five consecutive top ten finishes since a seven-race streak during the 2020 season. 

Herta could be the second driver to win the Freedom 100 and Indianapolis 500. 

A top five finish for Colton would make him and Bryan Herta the tenth father/son duo to each have a top five finish in the Indianapolis 500. 

Herta is tied for the 189th best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 19.2 with Joe Boyer. A victory would lower his average finish to 16.1667, moving him up into a tie 119th all-time with Felipe Giaffone. The worst Herta's average finish can be after this race is 21.5, dropping him to a tie for 230th all-time with Jules Ellingboe and Sheldon Kinser. 

Herta could become the sixth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 24 years, one month and 26 days old. 

Álex Palou 
This will be Palou’s fifth Indianapolis 500 start. 
Best Finish: 2nd (2021) 
Car #10 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Dario Franchitti 2010. 

Only once has the winner started 14th and that was Bob Sweikert in 1955.

This is Palou's worst starting position in the Indianapolis 500. His previous worst was seventh in his rookie year in 2020.

Palou could become the first championship leader to win the Indianapolis 500 since Juan Pablo Montoya in 2015. Montoya's victory is the only time the championship leader won the Indianapolis 500 in the DW12-era. The last time the championship leader won the Indianapolis 500 and then went on to win the championship was Dan Wheldon in 2005. 

Palou could become the first defending IndyCar champion to win the Indianapolis 500 since Dario Franchitti in 2012. 

If Palou leads the first lap of this year’s Indianapolis 500, he will become the first driver to ever lead the opening lap in three consecutive Indianapolis 500s. 

Palou has led 118 laps in his Indianapolis 500 career, 57th all-time. If he leads 21 laps, he will enter the top 50 in laps led in an Indianapolis 500 career. 

Palou could become the first Spaniard to win the Indianapolis 500. Spain would become the 12th different nation to produce an Indianapolis 500 winner. 

Callum Ilott 
This will be Ilott’s third Indianapolis 500 start. 
Best Finish: 12th (2023) 
Car #6 has won the Indianapolis 500 five times, most recently with Sam Hornish, Jr. in 2006. 

Four times has the winner started 15th, most recently Juan Pablo Montoya in 2015.

This is Ilott's best starting position in the Indianapolis 500. His previous best was 19th two years ago. 

The only top ten finish for Ilott on an oval was ninth at Texas last year. In ten oval starts, his average finish is 16.9. 

Ilott won the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in the FIA World Endurance Championship two weeks ago. The only driver to win an FIA World Endurance Championship race overall and an IndyCar race in the same season was Mike Conway in 2014.

Ilott could become the tenth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 25 years, six months and 15 days old. 

Row 6:

Marcus Armstrong 
This will be Armstrong’s first Indianapolis 500 start.  
Car #11 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Tony Kanaan 2013. 

Twice has the winner started 16th, most recently Dario Franchitti in 2012.

Armstrong could become the second New Zealander to win the Indianapolis 500, but the first New Zealand-born driver to win the race. New Zealand could become the sixth nation to produce multiple Indianapolis 500 winners. 

Armstrong could become the fourth Chip Ganassi Racing driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, joining Eddie Cheever, who won it in 1990, Juan Pablo Montoya, who won it in 2000, and Jimmie Johnson, who won it in 2022. 

Armstrong could become the fourth New Zealander to win Indianapolis 500 joining Denny Hulme in 1967, Graham McRae in 1973 and Scott McLaughlin in 2021.  

Armstrong could become the second driver alphabetically by last name among Indianapolis 500 winners behind only Mario Andretti. 

Armstrong could become the fourth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 23 years, nine months and 27 days old. He would become the youngest non-American winner. Armstrong could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century. 

Ed Carpenter 
This will be Carpenter’s 21st Indianapolis 500 start.  
Best Finish: 2nd (2018) 
Car #20 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times but not since Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989. 

Last year, Josef Newgarden won from 17th starting position, the third time the Indianapolis 500 winner has started 17th.

The last time a starting position other than pole position has won consecutive Indianapolis 500s was fifth in 1995 and 1996. 

If Carpenter does not win this year’s Indianapolis 500, he will match George Snider for most Indianapolis 500 starts without a victory. 

Carpenter could become the first Illinois-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 since Floyd Davis was a co-winner with Mauri Rose in 1941. 

Carpenter needs to lead four laps to become the 41st driver to lead at least 150 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career. 

Carpenter has the 110th best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 15.9. A victory would lower his average finish to 15.1904, moving him up to 100th all-time. The worst Carpenter’s average finish can be after this race is 16.714, dropping him to 131st all-time. 

Carpenter could become the eighth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 43 years, two months and 23 days old. 

Kyffin Simpson 
This will be Simpson’s first Indianapolis 500 start.  
Car #4 has won the Indianapolis 500 five times, most recently with Emerson Fittipaldi in 1993. 
The best finish for the 18th-starter is second, which occurred in 1920 by René Thomas and in 2009 and 2010 by Dan Wheldon.

Simpson will become the first Caymanian driver to start the Indianapolis 500. 

Simpson could become the fourth Chip Ganassi Racing driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, joining Eddie Cheever, who won it in 1990, Juan Pablo Montoya, who won it in 2000, and Jimmie Johnson, who won it in 2022. 

Simpson has finished better than his starting position every race this season.

Simpson made three oval starts in his Indy Lights career. He finished 11th at Iowa and tenth at Gateway in 2022, and he finished 16th at Iowa last year.

Simpson won the European Le Mans Series LMP2 class championship last year.

Simpson could become the youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 19 years, seventh months and 17 days old. This is the first of at least three chances Simpson will have at becoming the youngest Indianapolis 500 winner. He would be the youngest non-American winner. Simpson could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century. 

Row 7:

Marco Andretti 
This will be Andretti’s 19th Indianapolis 500 start.  
Best Finish: 2nd (2006). 
Car #98 has won the Indianapolis 500 four times, most recently Alexander Rossi 2016. 
Twice has the winner started 19th, most recently Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2014.

Andretti has not finished in the top ten in the Indianapolis 500 since he was eighth in 2017. He has not finished in the top five of the Indianapolis 500 since he was third in 2014.

Andretti has not had a top five finish in his last 34 starts, dating back to when he was fifth in the 2018 season finale at Sonoma.

Andretti has made 160 starts since his most recent victory at Iowa in 2011.

Andretti could become the first Pennsylvania-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 since Bill Holland in 1949. 

 
A victory for Andretti would make him and his grandfather Mario the first grandfather-grandson duo to win the Indianapolis 500. 

Andretti needs to lead six laps to become the 41st driver to lead at least 150 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career. He has only led in one of his last nine Indianapolis 500 starts after leading in eight of his first ten Indianapolis 500 starts. 

Andretti has the 63rd best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 13.222. A victory would lower his average finish to 12.5789, which would move him into 55th all-time. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 14.2631, dropping him to 80th all-time. 

Hélio Castroneves 
This will be Castroneves’ 24th Indianapolis 500 start. 
Four-time and defending Indianapolis 500 winner (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021). 
Castroneves’ victory in 2022 was the first Indianapolis 500 victory for car #06. 

Three times has the winner started 20th, most recently Al Unser in 1987.

This is the second consecutive Indianapolis 500 Castroneves is starting 20th. This is the fourth time in the last five years he has started 20th or worse in the Indianapolis 500. Prior to 2020, he had never started worse than 19th in this race.

Castroneves could become the first five-time Indianapolis 500 winner. 

Castroneves will become the sixth driver with at least 24 Indianapolis 500 starts, and Castroneves will tie Johnny Rutherford and Gordon Johncock for fourth all-time. 

A top five finish would be Castroneves’ tenth in the Indianapolis 500 and he would join Al Unser and A.J. Foyt as the only drivers to reach that milestone. 

A top ten finish would be Castroneves’ 17th in the Indianapolis 500 and he would tie A.J. Foyt for the most top ten finishes in the Indianapolis 500. 

Castroneves has the eighth best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 8.608. He cannot move up the order as a victory would lower his average finish to 8.291667, but Carlos Muñoz is seventh all-time at 7.5. The worst Castroneves’ average finish can be is 9.625, dropping him to 17th all-time. 

Castroneves could become the oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 49 years and 16 days old. Castroneves would join Emerson Fittipaldi and Takuma Sato as the only drivers to win multiple Indianapolis 500s after turning 40 years old. 

Scott Dixon 
This will be Dixon’s 22nd Indianapolis 500 start. 
2008 Indianapolis 500 winner.  
Car #9 has won the Indianapolis 500 four times with Dixon’s 2008 victory being the most recent.  

Only once has the winner started 21st and that was L.L. Corum and Joe Boyer in 1924.

This is Dixon's worst starting position ever in the Indianapolis 500. It is only the third time Dixon has started further back than the fifth row. He started 16th in 2013 and finished 14th, and he started 18th in 2019 and finished 17th.

Dixon has won twice in his career from a starting position outside the top twenty. He is the only driver in IndyCar history to have multiple victories from a starting position outside the top twenty.

Dixon is the all-time leader in Indianapolis 500 laps led with 665. 
Dixon is 21 laps ahead of Al Unser in second. 
Dixon is 339 laps ahead of the next closest active driver (Hélio Castroneves, 326 laps led) 
Dixon has led in 15 Indianapolis 500s, tied for the most all-time with Tony Kanaan. 
Dixon has led the most laps in the Indianapolis 500 a record six times. 

Dixon is currently in an eight-way tied for most runner-up finishes in Indianapolis 500 history. Harry Hartz, Wilbur Shaw, Bill Holland, Jim Rathmann, Tom Sneva, Al Unser, Hélio Castroneves and Dixon have all finished runner-up three times in this race. 

Dixon has the 31st best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 10.904. A victory would lower his average finish to 10.4545 and put him 29th all-time. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 11.909, which would drop him to 45th all-time. 

Dixon could become the sixth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 43 years, ten months and four days old. 

Row 8:

Agustín Canapino 
This will be Canapino’s second Indianapolis 500 start. 
Best Finish: 26th (2023) 
Car #78 has never won the Indianapolis 500. 

Twice has the winner started 22nd but not since Kelly Petillo in 1935.

For the second consecutive year, Canapino is the best starting Juncos Hollinger Racing driver in the Indianapolis 500.

Last season, Canapino's average finish in five oval starts was 20.4.

Canapino has finished on the lead lap in three of four races this season. He had five lead lap finishes over the entire 2023 season.

Argentina could become the 12th different country to produce an Indianapolis 500 winner. 

Sting Ray Robb 
This will be Robb’s second Indianapolis 500 start. 
Best Finish: 31st (2023) 
Car #41 has never won the Indianapolis 500. 
The best finish for the 23rd-starter is second by Wilbur Shaw in 1933.

This is the 22nd consecutive race Robb has qualified outside the top twenty.

Robb's average finish in five oval races last year was 26th.

Robb could become the second-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 22 years, eight months and 23 days old. Robb could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century. 

Robb could become the first Idahoan to win the Indianapolis 500. 

Christian Rasmussen 
This will be Rasmussen’s first Indianapolis 500 start.  
Car #33 has never won the Indianapolis 500. 

The best finish for the 24th-starter is fourth on five occasions (Denny Hulme in 1967, Mel Kenyon in 1969, Sammy Sessions in 1972, Eliseo Salazar in 1995 and Townsend Bell in 2009).

Rasmussen could become the first Ed Carpenter Racing driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.  

Rasmussen will become the third Danish driver to start the Indianapolis 500, and this will be the third consecutive year with a Danish rookie in the race. Rasmussen could become the second consecutive Danish driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after Benjamin Pedersen won it last year.  

Denmark could become the second country to produce consecutive Indianapolis 500 Rookies of the Year. The United States is the only country to produce consecutive Indianapolis 500 Rookies of the Year. 

Rasmussen could become the fourth past Indy Lights champion to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden. 

Rasmussen could become the fifth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 23 years, ten months and 27 days old. He would become the youngest non-American winner. Rasmussen could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century. 

Row 9:

Tom Blomqvist 
This will be Blomqvist’s first Indianapolis 500 start.  
Car #66 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Mark Donohue 1972. 
Only once has the winner started 25th and that was Johnny Rutherford in 1974.

This will be the first oval race of Blomqvist's career.

Blomqvist could become the first Meyer Shank Racing driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.  

Blomqvist could become the 18th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 and 24 Hours of Daytona in a career. Blomqvist won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2022 and 2023. 

Blomqvist could become the first British driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year since Nigel Mansell in 1993. The only other British drivers to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year are Jim Clark in 1963 and Jackie Stewart in 1966. 

Romain Grosjean 
This will be Grosjean’s third Indianapolis 500 start. 
Best Finish: 30th (2023) 
Car #77 has never won the Indianapolis 500. 
The best finish for the 26th-starter is third by Don Freeland in 1956, Paul Goldsmith in 1960 and Simon Pagenaud in 2021.

This is Grosjean's worst starting position in his IndyCar career. This will be the first time Grosjean has started outside the top twenty in consecutive races after he started 23rd in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. 

Grosjean has two top ten finishes in his last 17 races, and his average finish during that span is 16.235. He has not finished in the top five since he was second at Barber Motorsports Park in 2023.

This will be Grosjean's 52nd career start. Twenty-six drivers have taken 52 starts or more to get a first career victory.

Grosjean could become the fourth different Frenchman to win the Indianapolis 500. Only the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil have had at least four different drivers win the Indianapolis 500. 

Linus Lundqvist 
This will be Lundqvist’s first Indianapolis 500 start.  
Car #8 has won the Indianapolis 500, most recently with Marcus Ericsson in 2022. 
Only once has the winner started 27th and that was by Fred Frame in 1932.

Lundqvist could become the third Swedish driver to win the Indianapolis 500. 

Lundqvist could become the fourth past Indy Lights champion to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden. 

Lundqvist could become the fourth Chip Ganassi Racing driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, joining Eddie Cheever, who won it in 1990, Juan Pablo Montoya, who won it in 2000, and Jimmie Johnson, who won it in 2022. 

Lundqvist could become the ninth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 25 years and two months old. 

Row 10:

Christian Lundgaard 
This will be Lundgaard’s third Indianapolis 500 start. 
Best Finish: 18th (2022)  
Car #45 has never won the Indianapolis 500. 

Twice has the winner started 28th, inaugural winner Ray Harroun in 1911 and Louis Meyer in 1936.

Lundgaard starts on row ten for the second consecutive year. This is Lundgaard's best starting position in the Indianapolis 500.

Lundgaard was third in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis two weeks ago after finishing sixth at Barber Motorsports Park. Last year, he was sixth at Barber and finished fourth in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. Only once in his IndyCar career has Lundgaard had three consecutive top ten finishes. He won the third race, Toronto last year. 

Denmark could become the 12th different country to produce an Indianapolis 500 winner.

Lundgaard could become the second-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 22 years, ten months and three days old. Lundgaard could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century. 

Conor Daly 
This will be Daly’s 11th Indianapolis 500 and hopefully his tenth start.  
Best Finish: 6th (2022)  
Car #24 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Graham Hill 1966. 

The best finish for the 29th-starter is second in 1911 by Ralph Mulford and in 2002 by Paul Tracy.

This is Daly's worst starting position in the Indianapolis 500 since 2018. 

This is Daly's 109th start. Only three drivers took more starts to get their first career victory (Michel Jourdain, Jr. - 129, George Snider - 126 and Ed Carpenter - 113).

Daly could become the first Hoosier-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 since Wilbur Shaw in 1940. 

Daly has the 207th best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 20.1. A victory would lower his average finish to 18.3636, moving him up to 173rd all-time, ahead of his father Derek Daly, whose average finish in six Indianapolis 500 starts is 19.5. The worst Conor Daly’s average finish can be after this race is 21.2727, dropping him to 227th all-time. 

Pietro Fittipaldi 
This will be Fittipaldi’s second Indianapolis 500 start.  
Best Finish: 25th (2021) 

Car #30 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice, Arie Luyendyk 1990 and Takuma Sato 2020. 
The best finish for the 30th-starter was fourth in 1936 by Mauri Rose.

Fittipaldi makes his second Indianapolis 500 start three years after he made his debut.

In six career oval starts, Fittipaldi's average finish is 19.5. His best finish on an oval was 11th at Gateway in 2018.

Car #30 has finished 18th in the last two Indianapolis 500s.

Fittipaldi could become the fifth Brazilian to win the Indianapolis 500. Brazil would become the third country to produce five Indianapolis 500 winners. Brazil is tied with the United Kingdom for second-most Indianapolis 500 victories with eight. 

A victory for Fittipaldi would make him and his grandfather Emerson the first grandfather-grandson duo to win the Indianapolis 500. 

Row 11:

Katherine Legge 
This will be Legge's fourth Indianapolis 500 start.  
Best Finish: 22nd (2012)  
Car #51 won the 1998 Indianapolis 500 with Eddie Cheever. 

The best finish for the 31st-starter is fourth in 1951 by Andy Linden.

Legge has never started better than 29th in her Indianapolis 500 career.

This is the fourth different team Legge has driven for in the Indianapolis 500.

Legge was 33rd in last year’s Indianapolis 500. The only occurrence of a driver finishing last in the Indianapolis 500 and returning to win the following year is Mario Andretti in 1969 after finishing 33rd in 1968.  

Legge could become the sixth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 43 years, ten months and 14 days old. 

Marcus Ericsson 
This will be Ericsson’s sixth Indianapolis 500 start.  
2022 Indianapolis 500 winner 
Car #28 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Ryan Hunter-Reay 2014. 

The best finish for the 32nd-starter is second in 1957 by Jim Rathmann and 1981 by Mario Andretti.

This is the worst starting position of Ericsson's IndyCar career.

This is the second consecutive race Ericsson is starting outside the top twenty. Prior to this season, Ericsson had only started outside the top twenty in three races in his entire IndyCar career.

Ericsson could become the 15th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 the year after finishing second in the race. The most recent driver to do it was Dan Wheldon in 2011. 

Ericsson is tied for the 74th best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 13.8. A victory would lower his average finish to 11.667, moving him up to tied for 39th all-time with Frank Elliott, Vitor Meira and Jimmy Reece. The worst Ericsson’s average finish can be after this race is 17th, which would drop him to tied for 144th all-time with Johnny Boyd, Al Keller and Bob McDonogh. 

Graham Rahal 
This will be Rahal’s 17th Indianapolis 500 start. 
Best Finish: 3rd (2011, 2020).  
Car #15 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently with Buddy Rice in 2004. 

The best finish for the 33rd-starter is second in 1980 by Tom Sneva and 1992 by Scott Goodyear.

Rahal starts 33rd for the second consecutive Indianapolis 500. He is the first drier to start last in consecutive years for the Indianapolis 500 since Bill Cheesbourg in 1964-65.

Rahal has led 28 laps in his Indianapolis 500 career. His father Bobby led 126 laps in his 13 Indianapolis 500 starts. 

Rahal could tie Salt Walther and George Snider for most 33rd-place finishes in the Indianapolis 500 at three. 

Rahal hast the 168th best average finish among the 262 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 18.0625. A victory would lower Rahal’s average finish to 17.0588, and put him 148th all-time. The worst Rahal’s average finish can be after this race is 18.941, dropping him into 185th all-time. 

NBC's coverage of the 108th Indianapolis 500 will begin at 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday May 28. The green flag will wave at 12:45 p.m. ET. The race is scheduled for 200 laps.