By: Spencer Neff
May 28,2023

107th Indianapolis 500 Results

The 12th time was the charm for Josef Newgarden at the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented By Gainbridge.

After a daring last-lap pass on 2022 winner Marcus Ericsson, the two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion earned his first Indianapolis 500. It is the 19th for Team Penske and first since 2019, also Chevrolet’s most recent win as an engine manufacturer.

Newgarden held on to win over the Chip Ganassi Racing driver by .0974 of a second, the fourth-closest margin of victory in race history.

Newgarden’s previous best finish was third in 2016, with Ed Carpenter Racing. His best effort with Penske was fourth in 2020.

The Hendersonville, Tennessee native is the 75th driver to win the race and the first born in the Volunteer State.

Newgarden led three times for five laps, third-fewest in an Indianapolis 500 victory.

He is the first repeat winner in 2023 (Texas) and has now won both oval races to start the year.

Newgarden started 17th, the third winner to start in that spot. It is the first time since 1998 (Eddie Cheever Jr.) a driver has won from 17th on the grid.

He ties Johnny Rutherford with 27 career victories. This is the third “500” decided on a last lap pass (2006 and 2011) and the first won by an American driver since 2016.

A.J. Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci secured a career-best third-place finish.

After starting on the pole, Alex Palou finished fourth in an eventful race for the Chip Ganassi Racing driver. Palou remains the points leader by 20 over Ericsson.

2016 winner Alexander Rossi finished fifth in his first “500” with Arrow McLaren.

The race featured 52 lead changes among 14 drivers, third and second-most in “500” history. The average speed was 168.193 mph.

Race Recap

Following a battery issue when engines were fired, Graham Rahal would lose three laps before returning to 33rd. In a substitute role for Dreyer and Reinbold’s Stefan Wilson, he finished 22nd, five laps down.

Up front would see The 1-2 starters continue that fight during most of the first quarter of the race.

Palou and VeeKay swapped the lead during the first stint of the race. Further back, several drivers opted to pit early as excessive wear on the Firestones took its toll. After completing 41 laps in her first start since 2013, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Katherine Legge was the first driver out of the race.

On Lap 91, the green-flag stint to begin the race was interrupted as Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing’s Sting Ray Robb crashed in the south chute, putting an end to his first “500”

During the ensuing pit stops, VeeKay and Palou made contact on pit lane. VeeKay was penalized for an unsafe release while Palou would have an extended stop.

The following stint turned into a game of leapfrog between teammates O’Ward and Rosenqvist but a fueling issue had the No. 5 pitting early.

Soon after teammate Colton Herta received a drive-through penalty for an unsafe release, Andretti Autosport’s Romain Grosjean crashed in Turn 2. The cleanup for the incident would prompt a second caution on Lap 150.

Following the six laps under yellow, the race became a three-man battle up front with Ferrucci, Ericsson and Newgarden swapping the lead thrice within four laps.

With 30 to go, Ferrucci began the last round of stops. Ten laps later, O’Ward would short-pit and find himself back in contention. With 15 to go, Rosenqvist washed up the race track while battling Newgarden. He would drift into the wall, careening back down the banking.,

Andretti Autosport’s Kyle Kirkwoood made contact with the No.6, sending him upside down and sliding down the back straightaway. A wheel from Kirkwood’s car ricocheted over the retaining wall but cleared the grandstands.

During the Lap 193 restart, O’Ward spun after gettitung in the grass and went airborne in Turn 3. After his car settled back on the ground., O’Ward made contact with Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Agustin Canapino.

After leading a race-high 39 laps, O’Ward would finish 24th.

Further back, Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin made contact with Simon Pagenaud, sending the Meyer Shank Racing driver spinning into the Turn 3 wall.

Cleanup for the multi-car crash would prompt a second red flag, this one lasting 13 minutes.

During the Lap 196 restart, another multi-car crash broke out further back in the field.

After a lap under caution, the red flag was displayed for a third time.

Following another two laps under the green flag would the displayed for a one-lap shootout. Newgarden made a daring pass on the back straightaway and held off Ericsson to win.

Up Next

On Sunday, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to downtown Detroit for the first time since 1991 in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. Practice 1 is 3 p.m. Eastern on Friday.

Second practice is at 9:05 a.m., with qualifying at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday and the final warmup at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The NBC Broadcast of the 70-lap race is set for 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Stay with us for all the latest on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. All pre-race on-track sessions are broadcast live exclusively on Peacock.

Header Image By Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR