The 108th Indianapolis 500 proved to be a “Perfect Storm” in many ways, especially for race winner Josef Newgarden who won the biggest race in the world for the second straight year.
The race was delayed four hours because of lightning and rain, but the 347,000 fans that filled the Indianapolis Motor Speedway returned to their seats in times to see one of the most spectacular races in the history of the Indianapolis 500.
They were treated to a race record 16 different leaders, a race that was fierce and fearless and a battle for the ages between Mexico’s Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren and Team Penske’s Newgarden.
There were four lead changes in the final eight laps and for the second year in a row, the race-winning pass was made on the final lap.
Newgarden passed O’Ward’s Chevrolet for the win in Turn 3 on the final lap.
The Indianapolis 500 purse record was shattered for the third year in a row after a weather-delayed 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, with two-time race winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske earning $4.288 million from a total purse of $18,456,000.
“What an honor to be up here, I promise I did not expect to be up here again, but I didn’t expect to be up here last year,” Newgarden said. “Indy has a tricky and cruel way of pulling you back to reality.
“Last year was a tremendous privilege to be here. I felt that last year and I felt it again on Race Day. I enjoy driving the car. It’s a very important weekend. To be here on Memorial Day and celebrate this race together is a huge honor.
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“When you meet someone who has never been to the Indianapolis 500 and they get to go and see it, it’s an emotional experience. To be here today to run a race is very, very special. It’s an honor to be a part of this team.
“Pato O’Ward, my goodness, what a champion. You are a great competitor. One of the best in the world. We are glad you are in IndyCar. The race we had at the end; we don’t know how it was going to unfold. But you could have won that race.”
Newgarden’s purse included a $440,000 roll-over bonus from BorgWarner
Second-place finisher Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren Racing took home $1,050,500, exceeding the take-home prize for last year’s second-place finisher.
“It’s been a 24 hours,” O’Ward said. “It was the hardest Indy 500 I had to fight for just to have the opportunity to win this race. I didn’t have the smoothest 140 laps, but it came alive the last 60 laps.
“Some of the restarts were mental. It was crazy. It was pretty gnarly, but that is what the Indianapolis 500 is all about.
“It’s so, so special.
“I hope to one day get to drink the milk. That’s what I’ve dreams of since I was a child.
“The roar from the fans was so loud, I could hear in the car as soon as I kept switching back and forth, the fans make me feel victorious when I didn’t win this race.”
After record-breaking payouts in 2022 and 2023, this is the largest purse and largest winner’s payout in the century-plus history of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
The year’s average payout for NTT IndyCar Series drivers was $543,000, which also exceeds last year’s average of $500,600.
In 2023, the Indianapolis 500 purse was $17,021,500, and the year’s winner payout was $3.666 million. In 2022, the Indianapolis 500 purse was $16,000,200, and the winner earned $3.1 million.
Prior to 2022, the largest Indianapolis 500 purse was $14.4 million for the 2008 Indianapolis 500.
“The Indianapolis 500 is the greatest race in the world, and this record-breaking purse is reflective of just how monumental competing in and winning at Indy is for these drivers,” Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said. “Despite weather challenges, the Month of May featured packed grandstands and intense on-track action. Presenting this purse is the ideal end cap to an epic month.”
NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson earned Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honors for his performance during the Month of May. Larson, driving for Arrow McLaren, made his first attempt to complete “The Double,” by racing both the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600. Larson earned a $50,000 bonus for being named Rookie of the Year, adding to a total take-home prize of $178,000.
“The experience over these last couple of weeks is unlike anything I ever got to experience before,” Larson said when accepting the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Award in Indianapolis on Monday night. “The fan support was incredible to me. I felt like a fan favorite from the start.
“Having Rick Hendrick here was amazing. I just wish the whole plan would have gone better with the weather.”
The Indianapolis 500 purse consists of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NTT IndyCar awards, plus other designated and special awards. Purse awards are presented annually at the Victory Celebration, held this year at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis Monday night.
It was team owner Roger Penske’s record-extending 20th Indianapolis 500 victory.
“It’s all about the people, the human capital in this business that makes the difference,” Penske said. “My name may be on the front door, but it’s about the people day in and day out.”
Penske also owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500.
“To me, to see this team at IMS, IndyCar and Penske Entertainment, they didn’t a trophy yesterday, but they were the ones that got these fans back in,” Penske said. “I want to thank Tony George and Tony Hulman and the family that bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and built it into what it is today.”
