INDIANAPOLIS — Josef Newgarden put his dishonest scandal in the back of him to turn into the first back-to-back winner of the Indianapolis 500 since Helio Castroneves 22 years in the past and provides Roger Penske a record-extending twentieth win in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
The Tennessean handed Pato O’Ward at the ultimate lap of Sunday’s rain-delayed race to turn into the first driver to win consecutive 500s since Castroneves did it for Penske in 2001 and 2002. And identical to closing 12 months, Newgarden stopped his Chevrolet-powered automotive at the monitor and climbed via a hollow in the fence to have fun with enthusiasts in the grandstands.
“I love this crowd. I’ve got to always go in the crowd if we win here, I am always doing that,” Newgarden stated.
O’Ward slumped his head over his steerage wheel in sour unhappiness. He used to be making an attempt to turn into the first Mexican in 108 runnings to win the Indy 500.
It used to be an unbelievable bounceback for Newgarden, who closing month had his March season-opening victory disqualified as a result of Team Penske had unlawful push-to-pass instrument on its vehicles. Newgarden used the extra horsepower 3 times in the win and it took IndyAutomobile just about six weeks to uncover the Penske manipulation.
Roger Penske, who owns the race crew, IndyAutomobile, the Indy 500 and the speedway, suspended 4 group contributors, together with Team President Tim Cindric. The Cindric suspension used to be an enormous blow for Newgarden as Cindric is thought of as the most efficient strategist in the sequence.
Newgarden used to be overjoyed to have the win and put the push-to-pass scandal in the back of him.
“Absolutely, they can say what they want, I don’t even care anymore,” he stated.
The get started of the race used to be behind schedule 4 hours through rain and it ruined NASCAR big name Kyle Larson’s likelihood to run “The Double.” The lengthen in Indy made him leave out the beginning of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Although Larson used to be respectable many of the day, two rookie errors led to an 18th-place end.
Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing completed 3rd because the highest-finishing Honda driver and used to be adopted through Alexander Rossi, O’Ward’s teammate at Arrow McLaren Racing. Chevrolet took 3 of the highest 4 spots.
