Newgarden Wins 1st Indy 500

05/30/2023

By: Jeff Yoder

Josef Newgarden Strikes Late in Crash-Filled, Chaotic Finish to 107th Indianapolis 500

The marquee event of Memorial Day Weekend did not disappoint. And at the end of 500 miles, a chaotic finish to the Indy 500 saw three red flags in the final 16 laps, one where tires and debris flew into the stands, and one driver stood alone at the yard of bricks. Josef Newgarden claimed his first Indianapolis 500 victory with a last-lap pass in the third red-flag restart of Sunday’s race. He used a stunning maneuver to jet past race leader Marcus Ericsson in a mad dash for the checkered flag. Ericsson, who was gunning for back-to-back Indy 500 wins, led for much of the late stages until the final-lap fireworks.

Red Flags of Race Day

The Indy 500 was pretty much smooth sailing for three-quarters of the race. With 16 laps to go, Felix Rosenqvist slid into the wall and Kyle Kirkwood clipped him from the side, sending Kirkwood’s back tire vaulting into the stands. Luckily, the tire missed the fans and only struck a car in the parking lot. That was the first of three red-flag restarts down the stretch. With 5 laps to go, race leader Pato O’Ward surrendered the lead before getting squeezed into the grass and causing more chaos…

An Epic Finish

Two more cars traded paint on the straightaway with 2 laps left, setting the stage for a shootout between Ericsson (1st) and Newgarden (2nd) in a final-lap, winner-take-all restart full of controversy. Newgarden quickly swiped the lead before Turn 1 and went full ‘dragon move’ down the final straightaway to avoid letting Ericsson grab any draft and momentum. He crossed the bricks and took his victory lap before jumping out of the car and going into the stands to celebrate face-to-face with the fans. Pure emotion for a 32-year-old driver who finally won the big one. It was the first win for Team Penske / Roger Penske since he purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2019. Newgarden also started the race in the 17th spot, the lowest starting position for an Indy 500 winner since Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2014.

Indy 500 Results (Starting Position / Laps Led)

1. Josef Newgarden (17th / 5 Laps)

2. Marcus Ericsson (10th / 30 Laps)

3. Santino Ferrucci (4th / 11 Laps)

4. Alex Palou (1st / 36 Laps)

5. Alexander Rossi (7th / 4 Laps)

Watch: 2023 Indianapolis 500 Highlights

Motorsport: How Newgarden Rose to be a Thorn in Ericsson’s Double Indy 500 Bid

Racer: Newgarden Says Late ‘Dragon Move’ A Necessary Evil

Yahoo! Sports: Indy 500 Fan Whose Car Was Hit by Flying Tire Gets Brickyard Visit, Ride Home

Photo: James Gilbert / Getty Images