After 500 wins in a row, Josef Newgarden stays humble
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden discusses staying humble after two Indianapolis 500 wins.
The Borg-Warner Trophy is on today’s line at 109th Indianapolis 500 running. The 33 driver will raise the green flag at “the biggest sight of the race” at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hoping to win one of the most famous races in motorsports.
Many drivers chase history on Sunday. This is sought for a fifth victory in the iconic race. Josef Newgarden is looking to overcome Team Pensuke’s penalty and big controversy as he tries to become the first driver to win the Indy 500 for the third year in a row.
Kyle Larson has had a day and 1,100 miles on a plate of 1,100 miles, trying to become the first driver to complete the motorsport double since Tony Stewart in 2001.
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Indy 500: 33 Things You Need to Know About the 2025 Race, including Drivers to Watch
What time does the 2025 Indy 500 start?
The green flag for the 109th running Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for 12:45pm ET. The car arrives in the pit lane between 9am and 9:20am and there is a command to start the engine at 12:38pm.
Which TV channel is the 2025 Indy 500?
The 2025 Indianapolis 500 will air on Fox and the race will begin at 12:45pm ET. FOX’s pre-race coverage begins at 10am.
2025 Indy 500: Live Streaming Options
Fans can stream the Indy 500 on the Fox Sports App and Foxsports.com and on Fubo.
Check out the 2025 Indy 500 on Fubo
Several rain drops began to fall at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, delaying the start of the 109th run of the Indianapolis 500. The rain is light so I hope the lace won’t last too long. Today’s forecast was cloudy sky 65 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Accuweather.
This is the driver that starts in the first 4 rows on Sunday:
(The car numbers in parentheses are followed by drivers, teams and manufacturers. r =rookie; w =Former winner))
- (83) Robert Schwartzman (R), Premer, Chevrolet
- (75) Takuma Sato (W), Rahal Letterman Ranigan Racing, Honda
- (5) Patooward, Arrom Claren, Chevrolet
- (9) Scott Dixon (W), Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda
- (60) Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Honda
- (10) Alex Pow, Chip Ganasi Racing, Honda
- (4) David Malukas, AJ Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet
- (7) Christian Lundgaard, Arrow Mclaren, Chevrolet
- (28) Marcus Ericson (W), Andretti Global, Honda
- (3) Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, Chevrolet
- (76) Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, Chevrolet
- (20) Alexander Rossi (W), Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet
Starting the Grid: Click here for the complete 33-car starting lineup
Josef Newgarden is a two-time defending Indy 500 champion and aims to become the first driver to win a legendary event for the third year in a row. However, in the lead-up to Sunday’s race, New Garden is attracting attention for another reason. His controversy and fallout in the race team.
The IndyCar series punished the driver by Team Penske making illegal changes to several cars, including Newgarden, during the Indy 500 qualifying, fined the driver and started at the rear of the field. Roger Pensuke, who owns the race team and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar series, has fired the entire IndyCar team leadership as a result of the scandal, making New Garden attempts at 3 Pete even more difficult.
– John Heffling
Racing fans don’t lack excitement over holiday weekends. Not one driver certainly: Kyle Larson.
The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champions are attempting to “double” on Sunday by racing both Arrow Mclaren’s Indy 500 and Hendrick Motorsports’ Coca-Cola 600. He ranks 10th to win the Indy 500 and is a favorite to win the Coca-Cola 600, according to BetMGM’s latest odds.
“I enjoy the challenge and I enjoy learning on the spot,” Larson told USA Today Sports ahead of his second attempt at both events.
Larson was unable to arrive at the Coca-Cola 600 Charlotte due to a delay in rain at the Indy 500 last year.
“I wasn’t doing that. Obviously, if I didn’t feel like I had a shot to win both,” Larson said.
– Ayrton Ostly
Pre-Mur racing driver Robert Schwartzman is in pole position for the 2025 Indianapolis 500, where he first qualified since 1983. The Russian and Israeli drivers recorded a four-lap average speed of 232.790 miles, nosing more than the two Indy 500 winner Takumatato. – Jason Anderson
In line with tradition, the 2025 Indianapolis 500 is 200 laps for a total of 500 miles at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Michael Strahan will drive a pace car on the 2025 Indianapolis 500. Strahan, currently a “Good Morning America” host and a member of Fox’s NFL studio team, will drive a white 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 before starting a rolling start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. – Jason Anderson
Driver with the best odds to win the 2025 Indianapolis 500 as of Sunday morning
- 1. Patoo Ward (+450)
- 2. Alex Pau (+475)
- 3. Joseph New Garden (+725)
- 4. Scott Dixon (+750)
- 5. Takuma Sato (+1000)
- 6. Scott McLaughlin (+1100)
- 7. Felix Rosenqvist (+1700)
- 8. WillPower (+2000)
- 9. Robert Schwartzman (+2200)
- T10. David Malukas (+2500)
- T10. Christian Lundgaard (+2500)
- T10. Kyle Larson (+2500)
- T10. Alexander Rossi (+2500)
Tradition began in 1936 when Louis Meyer drank buttermilk in victory lane. Legend says Meyer drank milk because his mother said he would refresh him on a hot day.
Dairy industry executives saw a photo of Meyer drinking milk and then decided to offer it to the winners. The Indiana Dairy Association became an official sponsor in the 1950s, and recently all drivers have been asked what kind of milk they have (total, skim, or 2%) just in case they have the opportunity to celebrate it.
– Rachel Bauers
Other milk: See what milk drivers chose in the field in 2025
Former TV talk show host David Letterman first jumped into INDYCAR ownership in 2004.
From the beginning, he has partnered with former Indianapolis 500 champion Bobby Lahar, and is now known as Lahar Letterman’s Lanigan Racing (RLL).
David Letterman’s team has four drivers on his 109th run of the Indianapolis 500.
- Takuma Satothe two Indy 500s (2017 and 2020) recorded the second fastest time in qualifying. He starts in the middle of the front row of the 75th Rll Honda.
- Devlin DefrancescoThe 25-year-old Canadian driver is in his first season with the RLL. He finished 16th at Honda No. 30
- Louis Foster: The British driver is a rookie in the IndyCar series and will make his Indy 500 debut on Sunday. He will be 20th in No. 45 Rll Honda.
- Graham Rahalthe son of team owner Bobby Lahar and the six-time IndyCar series winner, the son has been in his 18th season at the IndyCar Circuit. He will be No. 15 Rll Honda at No. 28th. (Fun fact: Graham Lahal once presented the top 10 list of Letterman’s “Late Show” in 2013.)
– Steve Gardner
Most Indianapolis 500 wins are four, with four holding. AJ Foyt (1961, 1964, 1967, 1977) Ours (1979, 1971, 1978, 1987), Rick Mears (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991), and Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021).
Five drivers won the Borg Warner Trophy three times.
- Louis Meyer (1928, 1933, 1936)
- Wilbur Shaw (1937, 1939, 1940)
- Bobby Unser (1968, 1975, 1981)
- Johnny Rutherford (1974, 1976, 1980)
- Dario Franfli (2007, 2010, 2011)
Indianapolis Champion: View the full list of Indy 500 winners by year
Nathan Brown, Indie Star Motorsport Reporter: Alex Pow wins
Brown said, “Is it predictable? Yes, but for the past three months, Palou has proven almost stupid to compete with him. He still doesn’t win an oval in his career, but the championship leader has checked that box with the help of a near-perfect pit crew all year round.
Aaron Ferguson, Indie Star Motorsports Editor: Scott Dixon wins
Ferguson wrote: It will be a weekend of statements to win after (Chip)Ganashi has been candid about (team)Penceke. Dixon won in 2008, finished three times three times and has five poles, so he trusts the veteran. ”
Dana Hunsinger Benbow, Indystar Enterprise Reporter: Tokuma Sato wins
Benbow writes:
Staff selection: For expert predictions from Indystar, click here
