Josef Newgarden wins Indianapolis 500 for 2nd straight year - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — Josef Newgarden put his cheating scandal behind him to become the first back-to-back winner of the Indianapolis 500 since Helio Castroneves 22 years ago and give Roger Penske a record-extending 20th win in «The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.»

The Tennessean won a final lap duel with Pato O'Ward in Sunday's rain-delayed race to become the first driver to win consecutive 500s since Castroneves did it for Penske in 2001 and 2002. And just like last year, Newgarden stopped his Chevrolet-powered car on the track and climbed through a hole in the fence to celebrate with fans 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,» said Newgarden, who earned a $440,000 bonus for the repeat feat.

O'Ward, who finished .3417 seconds behind Newgarden, slumped his head over his steering wheel in bitter disappointment. He was trying to become the first Mexican driver in 108 runnings to win the Indy 500.

It looked as if he had been crying when he finally removed his helmet. He finished sixth in his Indy 500 debut, then fourth and then second in 2022 when he was accused of not being aggressive enough to race Marcus Ericsson for the win.

He refused to back down last year and wound up crashing as he raced for the win. As O'Ward bided his time in the closing laps — he and Newgarden traded the lead several times — he waited to make the winning pass on the final lap.

Newgarden got it right back two turns later.

«It is hard to put it into words — we went back, we went forward, we went back, some people were driving like maniacs,» O'Ward said. «We had so many near-race enders. Just so close again.… I put that car through things I never thought it was going to be able to