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Fox Sports
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Josef Newgarden laments what could have been in Indy 500 three-peat bid
Bruce Martin Special to INDIANAPOLIS — There's a reason why no driver in history has won three straight Indy 500s. Because it's hard. Even with perhaps the fastest car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Sunday's 109th Indianapolis 500, Team Penske's Josef Newgarden was starting in the back row. It came after INDYCAR Series officials heavily penalized Team Penske for modifying the rear attenuator. Newgarden knew he would have to put on the race of his life to win his third-straight Indy 500. Newgarden had a lot working against him, even with the fastest car. The winning driver has never won the Indianapolis 500 from 28th or lower. Newgarden was starting 32nd. Newgarden laid back at the start of the race on the first green-flag lap because he saw the potential of a crash at the back of the pack. Sure enough, Marco Andretti and Jack Harvey were involved in a crash in Turn 1 that knocked Andretti out of the race. Harvey was able to continue but Newgarden was nowhere near the calamity when it occurred. Once the race finally settled down, Newgarden proved he had one of the fastest cars on the track. The No. 2 Shell Chevrolet raced its way through the field to as high as sixth place on Lap 128. He had the right strategy to fight for the win over the final 32 laps. Newgarden made his scheduled pit stop on Lap 133 and had an issue. He returned to the track but came back down pit road on Lap 134 and never returned to action. "It looks like some fuel pressure issues, so I'm not sure," Newgarden said after he climbed out of the car. "It's some kind of anomaly or something we've never seen before. "It's just unfortunate for the whole group. It's a team sport, which that very much shows it. You guys were definitely right on pace for what you had to do today to have a shot to make history." Newgarden reflected on what could have been on Sunday. "It's tough to not have a shot here at the end," he said. "It's a team sport. It takes everything to win here. "I'm still immensely grateful to run at Indianapolis. As tough as it is to take, I still feel grateful to be out here today. I just wish we had a chance to fight for it." Newgarden began his day loudly booed by many fans during driver introductions over the latest controversy surrounding the team. Although he seemed to use that for motivation earlier in the week, he remained determined to give it a shot at becoming the first driver to win three-straight Indy 500s. It's a record that will remain unachieved, for now. Bruce Martin is a veteran motorsports writer and contributor to Follow him on X at @BruceMartin_500 . recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Indianapolis 500 live updates, leaderboard: Kyle Larson out, flown to Charlotte
The 2025 INDYCAR schedule continues with the highly anticipated Indianapolis 500 on Sunday (live on FOX and the FOX Sports app). Josef Newgarden is aiming to become the first driver to three-peat at the Indy 500, while INDYCAR Series leader Álex Palou is looking for his first win on an oval. Robert Shwartzman has already made history as the first rookie to win the pole for the Indy 500 in 42 years. Here are the highlights from Sunday's race! Live Coverage for this began on 3:37p ET recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Indianapolis 500 live updates, leaderboard: Top moments from INDYCAR race
The 2025 INDYCAR schedule continues with the highly anticipated Indianapolis 500 on Sunday (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). Josef Newgarden is aiming to become the first driver to three-peat at the Indy 500, while INDYCAR Series leader Álex Palou is looking for his first win on an oval. Robert Shwartzman has already made history as the first rookie to win the pole for the Indy 500 in 42 years. Here are the highlights from Sunday's race! Live Coverage for this began on 10:04a ET recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
What happens when the ‘iconic' Indy 500 Borg-Warner Trophy runs out of room?
Bruce Martin Special to INDIANAPOLIS — When the Borg-Warner Trophy appeared for the first time in Victory Lane after the 1936 Indianapolis 500, it had plenty of room on the original trophy to display the faces of the winning drivers, beginning with Ray Harroun in 1911. But it ran out of room on the original trophy after Bobby Rahal won the Indianapolis 500 in 1986. The solution was to mount the 80-pound, 4-foot-tall trophy on an additional base, beginning with the 1987 Indianapolis 500. Rahal was the last driver's face on the original trophy and Al Unser the first on the base after he won his fourth Indy 500 in 1987. Today, the Borg-Warner Trophy is 110-pounds and 5-foot-four-inches-and-three-quarters tall. As each Indianapolis 500 has passed and more winners have been added to the base of the trophy, it will once again run out of space in 2034. BorgWarner's creative team is working on a solution when the base fills up with the addition of a second base that will feature the winner of the 2035 Indianapolis 500 as its first face. "We're still throwing that around — what the second base is going to look like. But the last time we did this, we added on a complete additional base, which makes the trophy stand even taller, allowing for many more faces to come," BorgWarner CEO Joseph Fadool said Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "Between now and then, we'll figure out the right approach to do it or maybe something a little bit different. "The unique thing over time, the trophy actually grows in size and stature and importance, so I think it's just fitting for the importance of Indy." The Borg-Warner Trophy is really a measurement of time and the history of the Indianapolis 500. Each face represents a different tale, a different era and a glimpse back in time. "What a great way to put that," Fadool said. "As we talked about, the trophy is growing in stature, growing physically, becoming even more important over time and just represents excellence and teamwork, which is all that takes to win this race. "We're just proud to be a part of it, and I know all of our BorgWarner employees just love to be a part of this INDYCAR Series, especially here at the Indianapolis 500." It all began back in 1935. Before the Borg-Warner Trophy, there was the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy. It was initially awarded to the leader of the race at the 400-mile mark. It was retired when owner Harry Hartz won it three times. The Borg-Warner Trophy was commissioned in 1935 and officially became the annual prize for Indianapolis 500 victors in 1936. The Art Deco design of the Borg-Warner Trophy includes wings on the side that symbolize the speed of flight. But the most unique feature was the sculpted faces representing each of the 24 drivers who had already won the race when the trophy debuted in 1936. The driver that won it that day was Louie Meyer, the first three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. As the new Borg-Warner Trophy was placed on the back of his winning race car, Meyer asked for a cold bottle of buttermilk, becoming the first driver to have milk as his victory celebration after winning the Indianapolis 500. Two great traditions were created on the same day in 1936. Since then, every race winner has had his face added to this iconic trophy, which has become the symbol for reaching the pinnacle of performance. Winners do not get to take the Borg-Warner Trophy home. It stays on permanent display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Winning drivers and team owners receive a sterling silver replica of the trophy which is fondly referred to as the Baby Borg. After the winner's sterling silver image is attached to the main trophy, a replica image is attached to the Baby Borg's lacquered wood base. William Behrends has been sculpting the faces of the Indy 500 winners since 1990. The 2024 winner, Josef Newgarden, was the 35th face he has sculpted for the trophy. Behrends, who began sculpting when he was 26 years old, has been commissioned to immortalize a wide variety of subjects. Those subjects include Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays, automotive pioneer Henry Ford II, golf legend Bobby Jones, and Supreme Court Justice John Marshall, who was Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 to 1835. Behrends grew up in Wisconsin and has always had a special place in his heart for the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." "Growing up in the Midwest, I was always aware of the Indianapolis 500," Behrends said. "The first race I really noticed was 1963 when Parnelli (Jones) won. I was really fascinated by him and that win stuck in my memory. "Each year I look forward to working with the Indy 500 winner to capture his emotions and spirit so they can be part of the Borg-Warner Trophy for years and years to come." Then, there is the tale of Jack Mackenzie, who was once the caretaker of the Borg-Warner Trophy. Mackenzie was a student at Butler University in Indianapolis when he became the caretaker of the trophy in 1953. He earned $75 for his first year in that role and was responsible for transporting the trophy to various events throughout the month of May. Mackenzie stored the 80-pound sterling silver trophy in his dorm room at his fraternity house. He hauled it around town in the backseat of his car, often covering it with an army blanket for added security. Despite his best efforts, the trophy once vanished from his room in the fraternity house. Mackenzie said when he returned home from a date, the Borg-Warner Trophy was missing. He eventually found it in the basement of his fraternity house where it was being used as an impromptu drinking vessel. Mackenzie relinquished his trophy duties following the 1983 Indianapolis 500 saying at the time, "I've had my fun, I've enjoyed going to all the different activities associated with the speedway. It's time to let somebody else have some fun." The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has maintained control of the Borg-Warner Trophy ever since. "It's something all the drivers look forward to having their face on if they can win the Indianapolis 500," Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR President Doug Boles said. Bruce Martin is a veteran motorsports writer and contributor to Follow him on X at @BruceMartin_500 . BEST OF FOX SPORTS' INDY 500 COVERAGE: Ranking Indy 500 drivers from 33 to 1: Can anyone unseat Josef Newgarden? Got milk? 33 potential Indy 500 winners pick preferred dairy option Pato O'Ward pens letter to Indy 500: 'Had my heart broken here … but it also fuels me' No oval experience, no problem: Rookie Robert Shwartzman captures Indy 500 pole Rash of Crash: Inside a wild weekend of wrecks during Indy 500 prep From 'magical' to 'legendary': Drivers describe the Indy 500 in one word 2025 Indy 500 liveries: See the designs of all 34 cars on the track at The Brickyard Counting down the 25 most memorable moments in Indy 500 history recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Alex Palou chasing elusive Indy 500 win: My face 'would look good on that trophy'
Bruce Martin Special to INDIANAPOLIS — Get to know Alex Palou and there are a few things that immediately stand out. The first is his total and complete focus. All he thinks about is racing. The second is his complete coolness and calmness, even under fire. "I've only seen Alex get mad once," 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson told FOX Sports of his former teammate. "And when Alex got mad, it only lasted for five minutes, and he was back to being nice again." In an intense profession that includes a high degree of risk, Palou is the coolest driver on the track. But he laughed when he was asked why he never gets angry. "I can tell you I get mad sometimes, but at the end of the day, it's quite simple. I'm living the dream," Palou told FOX Sports. "It's amazing to be a racing driver. It's amazing to be an INDYCAR driver and to do this for a living. I'm enjoying every single day. "Even a bad day in an INDYCAR is an amazing day." Palou is a nice guy, but this nice guy has finished first often. And drivers in the NTT INDYCAR Series are mad at their inability to find a way to defeat him. He was an INDYCAR rookie in 2020 before joining Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021. His first race for the team was a victory in the season-opening race at Barber Motorsports Park. It was the start of the first of three INDYCAR Series championships in four seasons, including the last two in a row. Palou is on a roll and doesn't show signs of slowing down. He opened the 2025 season with two-straight victories before he finished second to Kyle Kirkwood in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. It must have motivated Palou because he won the next two races at Barber Motorsports Park and the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course to kick off the month of May. But he has never won the Indianapolis 500. In fact, he has never won a race on an oval. He came close by finishing second to Helio Castroneves in the 2021 Indy 500, but that remains his best-ever finish on an oval. Palou was the fastest driver in last Saturday's Indianapolis 500 qualifications and was part of the Fast 12 round on Sunday. He advanced into the Fast Six group that would fight it out for the pole, but Palou finished sixth in that round with a four-lap qualification average of 231.378 miles per hour around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. He starts Sunday's 109th Indianapolis 500 on the outside of Row 2 with former teammate Felix Rosenqvist in the middle and CGR teammate and 2008 Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon on the inside of the second row. Palou is the best driver in INDYCAR that has yet to win the Indianapolis 500, a title he wants to remove on Sunday. "It's good and bad," Palou told FOX Sports. "It's not what we want. We want to be introduced as Indianapolis 500 champion, but it takes time. It's hard to win. That's why it is so important and separates some drivers who are really elite and amazing drivers. "We're pushing and that is all I think about. Hopefully, we can get rid of that introduction this year." Palou admits he has dreamed of winning the Indy 500, but reality would be 20 times better than his dream. He realizes it is difficult, and there are no guarantees that it will happen, but he is confident that he will one day win it. "I feel more confident than ever before," Palou said. "I got to experience different parts of the 500, like running up front, running in the back, having to overtake, having a fast car, having not such a fast car. I feel more ready than ever, and I think it's enough to win, so that's why. And I'm hungry to win it. "We are ready. You start getting excited thinking about traffic and how to get a fast race car for the Indianapolis 500. I'm excited for the race to come." Palou was a rookie at the 2020 Indianapolis 500, a race that was moved to August 23 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and fans were not allowed in the massive Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He drove for Dale Coyne Racing, started seventh and finished 28th, crashing after 121 laps. The following year, his first with Ganassi, Palou finished just .493-of-a-second behind Helio Castroneves, who became the fourth, four-time Indy 500 winner that day. Palou was so close, but the Indy 500 win remains so far away. "My race against Helio in 2021 was amazing," Palou recalled. "He won it in a car that was a little bit slower than mine. He won it because he was better than me. That's it. Period. "I had the faster car than Helio, but he just had more experience. He was much better than me reading the traffic and knowing when to overtake, when to defend. "I think I have a lot more experience now. I don't have as much experience as Helio, but I believe I could have done something different." Palou finished ninth in the 2022 Indianapolis 500. He won the Indy 500 Pole in 2023 and led 36 laps, but midway in the race during a pit stop under caution, Rinus VeeKay ran into Palou as he was leaving pit lane. Palou's Honda went back to 28th place, but he was able to race his way to a fourth-place finish in what may have been his best Indy 500 in terms of racing. Last year, Palou started 14th and finished fifth, so he is a legitimate contender for this year's win. But is he prepared to make a bolder move if it means winning the Indy 500? "In that race, you don't think about the championship at all," Palou explained. "A third place is not good enough. A second place is not good enough. It's only first that counts. "You don't act crazy, but I think everybody goes there to win the Indianapolis 500. "Hopefully, all the moves we make will work." Palou competes for one of the greatest teams in the history of the Indianapolis 500 and the NTT INDYCAR Series at Chip Ganassi Racing. The team won its first Indy 500 in 2000 with Juan Pablo Montoya. Scott Dixon won the 2008 Indy 500 from the pole, Dario Franchitti won two of his three Indianapolis 500s with Ganassi in 2010 and 2012 and Marcus Ericsson was the last with his victory in 2022. Ericsson is now with Andretti Global, but Dixon and Palou remain, along with young driver Kyffin Simpson of the Cayman Islands. Chip Ganassi Racing has also won 16 INDYCAR Championships, including Palou's titles in 2021, 2023 and 2024. Palou is the face of INDYCAR, but Team Penske star Josef Newgarden has become the face of the Indianapolis 500 after winning in 2023 and 2024. Newgarden is attempting to become the first driver to win three-straight Indy 500s on Sunday, but with the penalties that were assessed after the qualification round on May 18, Newgarden has to start 32nd in the 33-car starting lineup. "I don't believe I'm the face of INDYCAR," Palou said. "I'm not as big with social media to be a big character and the face of IndyCar. That's OK. There are drivers bigger that do a better job than me as the face of INDYCAR." Palou admits that for now, Newgarden is the face of the Indy 500, and he wants to displace him in that role. "It's a goal," Palou said. "It's important. Everybody has to see last year's winner when they enter the track. "Unfortunately, I never got to see my face at the entrance to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hopefully, we can make that happen." When it comes to faces, however, there is no greater accomplishment for a racing driver than having their face attached to the Borg-Warner Trophy along with the other faces of the winning drivers throughout the long and storied history of the Indianapolis 500. That cements a driver's career and legacy for the ages. It is a lifetime goal for Palou. "Absolutely, it is," Palou said. "It's the biggest goal you can have. One of the biggest in motorsports. "I'm pretty sure that my face — although I'm not really handsome — would look good on that trophy." Bruce Martin is a veteran motorsports writer and contributor to Follow him on X at @BruceMartin_500 . BEST OF FOX SPORTS' INDY 500 COVERAGE: Ranking Indy 500 drivers from 33 to 1: Can anyone unseat Josef Newgarden? Got milk? 33 potential Indy 500 winners pick preferred dairy option Pato O'Ward pens letter to Indy 500: 'Had my heart broken here … but it also fuels me' No oval experience, no problem: Rookie Robert Shwartzman captures Indy 500 pole Rash of Crash: Inside a wild weekend of wrecks during Indy 500 prep From 'magical' to 'legendary': Drivers describe the Indy 500 in one word 2025 Indy 500 liveries: See the designs of all 34 cars on the track at The Brickyard Counting down the 25 most memorable moments in Indy 500 history recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
