Newgarden beats Ericsson in crash-marred 107th edition

Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden won the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 with a last-lap pass, in a race marred by three red flags.

The race was red flagged for the first time with 14 laps remaining when Felix Rosenqvist (Arrow McLaren) crashed out of fourth place at Turn 1, clipping Kyle Kirkwood’s Andretti Autosport car which slammed into the wall and flipped over at Turn 2.

That setup an eight-lap sprint to the finish, but another red flag was required as Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren) clashed with Marcus Ericsson (Ganassi) and slammed the wall. A third attempt brought out a yellow almost immediately with a multi-car tailender crash.

Newgarden then triumphed in a final-lap shootout, passing Ericsson at Turn 3 to score his first Indy 500 win.

Poleman Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing led the 32-car field to the green flag (as Graham Rahal was stranded in the pits with a battery failure) leading Rinus VeeKey (Ed Carpenter Racing) and Rosenqvist. Ganassi’s Scott Dixon jumped up to fourth, swooping ahead of Santino Ferrucci (AJ Foyt Racing) and the McLarens of Alexander Rossi and Pato O’Ward. Rahal rejoined the race two laps down.

VeeKay passed Palou for the lead at the start of lap 3, with Team Penske’s Will Power an early mover, up to eighth from 12^th. Palou repaid the favor on VeeKay a lap later at Turn 1, and they would trade the top spot across the first stint.

Dixon plummeted down the order due to a left-side tyre vibration 20 laps into the opening run. By lap 25, Dixon had fallen from fourth to 14^th and he pitted on lap 27, rejoining 32^nd. Romain Grosjean was another early stopper for Andretti Autosport due to handling issues.

Palou was the first of the leaders to pit at lap 30, along with Ferrucci, while VeeKay stayed out until lap 32, a lap before Rosenqvist, while Rossi, O’Ward and Power ran longer than all their rivals.

Palou cycled back to the lead, ahead of VeeKay and Ferrucci, with Rosenqvist – who suffered a blistered tire – dropping back to fourth, ahead of Rossi, O’Ward and Power, the latter struggling with no weightjacker tool. Defending race winner Marcus Ericsson rose to eighth by one-quarter distance, ahead of Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden.

Palou made his second stop on lap 62, with VeeKay going two laps longer as before, braving out a tire vibration on that stint. The McLarens ran longer again, with Power going furthest of all on fuel.

Rosenqvist overcut the top two at this point, with O’Ward moving up to make it a McLaren 1-2, and then the Mexican hit the front for himself on lap 70. Ferrucci stormed up to third, sweeping past Palou, who appeared to be struggling with his balance on this stint, and then VeeKay.

The first yellow flew on lap 92 when Sting Ray Robb hit the wall at Turn 1, having gone side by side with Rahal and getting up…