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Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 Shell Powering Progress Team Penske Chevrolet, took his first Indianapolis 500 victory in accident-befouled running of Indianapolis 500 that was halted by three red flags. When the racing resumed after the final red flag with only one lap remaining, Newgarden won by 0.0974 seconds, fourth closest finish in 500 history, passing 2022 winner Marcus Ericsson on the last lap.* Santino Ferrucci – driving for four-time Indy winner A.J. Foyt came in third. Of the 107 Indy 500s raced, it was the first to have multiple red flags for crashes. (AutoInformed.com: Chevy Versus Honda in Fastest Field Ever at Indy 500)
All told, Newgarden led just five laps of the 200. Newgarden – a two-time IndyCar series champion – started the race 17th on the grid. For Tim Cindric, President at Team Penske, it was his ninth Indianapolis 500 win and the 19th for Roger Penske as team owner; the first came in 1972. However, it was Roger Penske’s first as the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since he bought it three years ago.
Josef Newgarden, #2 Shell Team Penske Chevrolet with his mother Tina (left), wife Ashley and son Kota.
“With the red flags, everything, it could have been anybody’s race. But I think Newgarden showed what he’s really made of today. He was, I think, confident but yet cautious there at the end, and when it was time to go, he made it happen. We can’t thank him enough from the team,” said Roger Penske at the post-race press conference.
Newgarden was the First American to win since Alexander Rossi in 2016. Marcus Ericsson, who finished second, claimed it was unfair the way the red flags were managed and that the final red flag should have been flown earlier and that one lap wasn’t enough for a shootout to finish the race. For the record, Newgarden lost the lead on an earlier restart. Ferrucci shrugged off the red flag ending. “What are you going to do? You want to finish under green for the fans, which we did. At the end of the day, it’s about the fans,” Ferrucci said.
*The margin of victory was 0.0974. That’s the fourth closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history. The top three: 1992, Al Unser Jr. over Scott Goodyear; 2014, Hunter-Reay over Helio Castro Nevis; 2006, Sam Hornish Jr. over Marco Andretti. Newgarden’s win earned Chevrolet the fifth Indianapolis 500 victory in the V6 2.2-liter twin-turbo direct injected era since 2012.
Another record was for Indy Car and Team Penske was recorded. Kaitlyn Brown, was the first women to win the 500 as a member of the pit crew – going over the wall to change the left front tire of Newgarden’s race car. “I think she has the opportunity and really the work ethic to be one of the top people at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I think her runway is really long, and if she’s patient and she continues to be in the right place and do the things she’s doing now, kind of the sky’s the limit for her,” Cindric said.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Josef Newgarden Driving a Penske-Chevrolet Wins Accident Marred Indianapolis 500
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Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 Shell Powering Progress Team Penske Chevrolet, took his first Indianapolis 500 victory in accident-befouled running of Indianapolis 500 that was halted by three red flags. When the racing resumed after the final red flag with only one lap remaining, Newgarden won by 0.0974 seconds, fourth closest finish in 500 history, passing 2022 winner Marcus Ericsson on the last lap.* Santino Ferrucci – driving for four-time Indy winner A.J. Foyt came in third. Of the 107 Indy 500s raced, it was the first to have multiple red flags for crashes. (AutoInformed.com: Chevy Versus Honda in Fastest Field Ever at Indy 500)
All told, Newgarden led just five laps of the 200. Newgarden – a two-time IndyCar series champion – started the race 17th on the grid. For Tim Cindric, President at Team Penske, it was his ninth Indianapolis 500 win and the 19th for Roger Penske as team owner; the first came in 1972. However, it was Roger Penske’s first as the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since he bought it three years ago.
Josef Newgarden, #2 Shell Team Penske Chevrolet with his mother Tina (left), wife Ashley and son Kota.
“With the red flags, everything, it could have been anybody’s race. But I think Newgarden showed what he’s really made of today. He was, I think, confident but yet cautious there at the end, and when it was time to go, he made it happen. We can’t thank him enough from the team,” said Roger Penske at the post-race press conference.
Newgarden was the First American to win since Alexander Rossi in 2016. Marcus Ericsson, who finished second, claimed it was unfair the way the red flags were managed and that the final red flag should have been flown earlier and that one lap wasn’t enough for a shootout to finish the race. For the record, Newgarden lost the lead on an earlier restart. Ferrucci shrugged off the red flag ending. “What are you going to do? You want to finish under green for the fans, which we did. At the end of the day, it’s about the fans,” Ferrucci said.
*The margin of victory was 0.0974. That’s the fourth closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history. The top three: 1992, Al Unser Jr. over Scott Goodyear; 2014, Hunter-Reay over Helio Castro Nevis; 2006, Sam Hornish Jr. over Marco Andretti. Newgarden’s win earned Chevrolet the fifth Indianapolis 500 victory in the V6 2.2-liter twin-turbo direct injected era since 2012.
Another record was for Indy Car and Team Penske was recorded. Kaitlyn Brown, was the first women to win the 500 as a member of the pit crew – going over the wall to change the left front tire of Newgarden’s race car. “I think she has the opportunity and really the work ethic to be one of the top people at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I think her runway is really long, and if she’s patient and she continues to be in the right place and do the things she’s doing now, kind of the sky’s the limit for her,” Cindric said.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.