O’Ward poised for elusive finish in today’s 109th Indianapolis 500
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio
A pair of second-place finishes since 2022 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway have only served to sharpen Arrow McLaren ace Pato O’Ward’s approach to winning the Indianapolis 500.
May 23, 2025; Speedway, Indiana Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren practices on Carb Day before the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo by Michael C. Johnson
O’Ward finished runnerup to Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson in 2022 and to Josef Newgarden last year, when the Team Penske star completed a last-lap pass for his second consecutive victory. Ericsson, then of Chip Ganassi Racing, led 13 laps en route to his victory on a day when O’Ward led 26 laps. Last year Newgarden led 26 laps to O’Ward’s 12.
O’Ward will start today’s 109th edition of the Indy 500 presented by Gainbridge third, the outside of Row 1, in the traditional field of 33 with a confidence born of maturity.
“I mean, I’m just calm. It’s such a long race, man,” said O’Ward, a 26-year-old native of Monterrey, Mexico, with family ties to San Antonio. “It’s like three hours long, or something. You got to be there in the end just to even have a shot. That’s pretty much how I approach it all the time. You have to be there in the last stint. When you get to the last stint, you got to be there five laps to go, four laps to go. It can end in a split of a second. But it also can turn around quite quickly and you can have a shot.”
Pato O’Ward – Photo by Paul Hurley
O’Ward will be making his sixth start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” today having led a combined 93 laps. “Every 500 is different; none of them are the same,” said O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. “Knowledge is priceless. If you’re obviously in a similar situation to the past, you can pick-and-choose what you’re going to do.
“They’re all different, man. This year with the hybrid, the cars have been so on the edge. Some guys are driving insane in practice. I mean, last year in the race I was shocked with how some guys were driving in Lap 15. Yeah, I think it’s safe to say you never know what to expect. Just be ready for anything.”
Green flag for the 109th Indianapolis 500 is set to fly at 12:45 p.m. (EDT), with live broadcast coverage available on FOX Sports, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
May 23, 2025; Speedway, Indiana Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing practices on Carb Day before the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo by Michael C. Johnson
Alex Palou is well-aware he has yet to win an oval race during an NTT IndyCar Series career launched in 2020 with Dale Coyne Racing. Now the three-time/reigning series champion with Chip Ganassi Racing, Palou is 0-for-27 on the series’ various oval layouts, on which he has led a combined 104 laps.
Palou has won four of the series’ first five races this season _ all on either temporary street or natural-terrain road-courses _ to rank among the chalk favorites to win today’s 109th edition of the Indy 500.
“I mean, I want to win at an oval. Trust me, I’m trying hard,” said Palou, a 28-year-old native of Spain. “But yeah, it takes time, I guess. There’s nothing I can do until Sunday to change that. Hopefully I can change it and I can win on Sunday. I know it’s tough. Otherwise, I’ll wait for the next one.
“There’s been many, many people that have taken a lot of years to win this race or to win on ovals. Yeah, hopefully we can change it quick.”
Palou will start sixth today after qualifying the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda at 231.378 mph. In addition to his four victories, Palou finished second to Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global on the famed Streets of Long Beach. Alex’s brilliant INDYCAR resume to-date includes 86 starts, 15 victories, 36 podiums, nine poles and championships in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
“I had really good cars here honestly,” said Palou, referring to the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “Like 2021, when I was battling with Helio (Castroneves), I think my car was better than Helio’s. He was just better than me.” Castroneves won his record-tying fourth Indy 500 in 2021 with Meyer Shank Racing.
“Then 2022, 2023 we really had good cars as well,” Palou said. “I think the only year we didn’t really have the ultimate speed, but still ended up fifth, it was pretty good _ was last year. Yeah, probably 2023 was the fastest car I had. Man, I had really, really good, nice cars here at the Speedway.”
May 23, 2025; Speedway, Indiana Robert Shwartzman, PREMA Racing practices on Carb Day before the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo by Michael C. Johnson
Rookie Robert Shwartzman realizes he has a “big responsibility” as pole-sitter for the 109th Indianapolis 500 _ his first career INDYCAR start on an oval.
“You see 350,000 people, it’s quite impressive,” said Shwartzman, driver of the No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet. “We come here to race and win and do our best. Whenever there is a green flag, it’s just full-focus on the front.”
Shwartzman earned P1 via a shocking, four-lap/10-mile qualifying run at 232.790 mph last Sunday _ the beginning of a whirlwind week of life in the American media spotlight.
“It obviously feels amazing. I’ve never felt such a great qualifying in my entire career,” said Shwartzman, a 25-year-old native of Tel Aviv, Israel, who is of Russian-Israeli descent. “I come from Europe. Normally qualifying, it’s important, but it’s never something that stands out so much. The next day you go race. Here it seems like it’s a different event. The whole race separates in two phases. There is one that is qualifying, another one is the race.
“It’s unique. It’s the only (event) where I’ve seen that so far. It’s just awesome. Honestly, the whole vibe and fans that come here to watch qualifying, support drivers, support us, it’s just awesome. Obviously, I was very happy and tired at the same time doing so many interviews, having so many questions. But yeah, this is part of the job.”
Shwartzman is the first rookie to qualify on-pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since Teo Fabi averaged 207.395 mph in the No. 33 Skoal Bandit March/Cosworth in 1983. The diminutive Italian led the race’s first 23 laps _ the highlight of a day that ended after 47 laps due to a fuel gasket issue. Fabi finished 26th en route to Rookie of the Year honors in a race won by Tom “The Gas Man” Sneva in the No. 5 Texaco Star March/Cosworth.
Fabi made eight Indy 500 starts between 1983 and 1995 with a best finish of seventh in the No. 11 Pennzoil Reynard/Ilmor D in 1994. Fabi actually finished two laps down to winner Al Unser Jr. in the No. 31 Marlboro Penske/Mercedes Benz _ a stock-block based powerplant also run by teammate Emerson Fittipaldi of Brazil. Dubbed “Penske’s Panzer,” that engine was outlawed before the 1995 Championship Auto Racing Teams season.
May 23, 2025; Speedway, Indiana Helio Castroneves, Meer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian practices on Carb Day before the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo by Michael C. Johnson
Four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves will make his 25th start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway today at age 50, the oldest driver in the field of 33.
“No, I do not have my AARP (card),” said Castroneves, the popular Brazilian and driver of the No. 06 Cliffs-Cleveland Honda fielded by Meyer Shank Racing. “Wow, 25th edition, let’s put this way, which is amazing. Well, if I wouldn’t be much love with this place, I wouldn’t be coming back for sure. But this place has been good to me. This place is amazing. I want to try to get what a lot of people (want) and especially the rewrite history.
“We’re going to have hard work to go up there, but a great row here. I feel like we’re going to be up-front very soon.”
Castroneves will start 22nd after qualifying at 230.978 mph in a one-off appearance with MSR. Helio won his fourth Indy 500 with the Ohio-based organization in 2021 to join A.J. Foyt Jr., Al Unser and Rick Mears in the exclusive Four-Time Winner’s Club. Castroneves won his first three Indy 500s in 2001, 2002 and 2009 driving for Team Penske.
“As a driver, you want to compete with people,” Castroneves said. “You want to get better with some of the people that you don’t know because that makes you learn more, learn different style, let’s put this way. I’ll be seeing that.
“Some of them are a little too aggressive in my point. Some of them are aggressive enough to make a movement. I like it. I enjoy it. I just hope they understand how this race is not just a sprint race. It’s more than that. They have to be patient, more patient than actually just taking unnecessary risks. That’s not me to teach them. Hopefully they learn themselves about that.
“I’m just going to go and do my thing.”
The life and times of A.J. Foyt Jr. officially has been recognized as solid gold by America’s literati.
The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) presented the Gold Medal in the Sports & Recreation category for 2024 to A.J. Foyt: Survivor, Champion, Legend (Vol. 1) by Art Garner, at its awards ceremony in St. Paul, Minn., on May 16.
The Foyt book also received a Silver Medal in the Biography & Memoir category. Formerly known as the Ben Franklin Awards, the medals represent the best independently published books of the year. The book was selected from more than 1,800 entries; it marks the 37th year the IBPA has presented the honors.
“A.J. Foyt has had an incredible life and it’s a tribute to everyone who contributed to the book and all those at Octane Press who worked on the project to be recognized by the IBPA,” Garner said. “A book of this size and complexity is truly a team effort.”
Foyt actually has read sections of the 656-page book which chronicles his life through 1977 (with Volume 2 still being written). “I’m glad it won because I thought it was very good book,” said Foyt, who celebrated his 90th birthday on Jan. 16. “I’m going by what other people told me, you know, but the bit that I read of it, I loved it. I’m just glad it went over as good as it did because Art worked hard on it, and I’m glad that a lot of people love it.”
Foyt is the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, the personal highlight of a career that includes a victory in NASCAR’s prestigious Daytona 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance classic in France.
The book provides a detailed account of Foyt’s remarkable life and incredible racing career written in Garner’s accessible, engaging style. Through extensive research and well over 100 interviews with the biggest names in the sport _ as well as Foyt’s family and close friends _ Garner has delivered the most accurate depiction of Foyt’s journey in becoming a motorsports mega-star. Garner sourced many rarely seen photos along with iconic images to illustrate Foyt’s illustrious career.
The book currently is on-sale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (in the track’s INDYCAR Gift Shop) and online at www.octanepress.com.
May 23, 2025; Speedway, Indiana David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Enterprises practices on Carb Day before the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo by Michael C. Johnson
Native Chicagoan David Malukas will make his first Indy 500 start today with Waller, Texas-based A.J. Foyt Racing from P7 after qualifying the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet at 231.599 mph.
“To be here at the Indy 500, this is already a dream of mine, of course,” said Malukas, 23, who has logged two previous starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “To do it with my name side-by-side with A.J. Foyt Racing, probably one of the most historical drivers when it comes to a big name. You say that name anywhere, people will know of it. To have my name side-by-side, I don’t think there’s any way better to be a part of history and achieve what my dreams are.”
Asked if the 90-year-old “Super Tex” had given him any sage advice for the Speedway, Malukas said, “He’s given me a lot of good stories from his past races and events that have happened to him. When it comes to advice, I mean, it’s so hard to give advice for the 500. Things kind of just happen as it is. I think it’s just as anybody always says, it’s a long race, so just keep the head down and don’t do anything too silly to start and save it for the end.”
Asked to recount his favorite Foyt story, Malukas said, “I can’t say any stories.”
Not even one?
Malukas: “Absolutely not, no.”
Foyt Racing teammate Santino Ferrucci, a resident of Dallas, will start 15th in the No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet after qualifying at 231.593 mph.
Casey Irsay Foyt, representing the next generation of Indianapolis Colts’ ownership along with sisters Carlie Irsay-Gordon and Kalen Jackson, will serve as honorary starter for today’s 109th Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Casey will wave the flag in honor of the legacy created by her father, Jim Irsay, whose stewardship of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and philanthropic efforts had a transformative impact across Central Indiana and the Hoosier State. Jim Irsay passed away Wednesday, May 21, at age 65.
“As Indianapolis prepares for a special weekend that showcases our city’s unmatched ability to successfully host massive global sporting events, it’s incredibly appropriate and especially meaningful to celebrate Jim’s contributions to our city and state,” Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said. “Put simply, the Indianapolis we know and love would not be remotely possible without Jim.”
INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles added, “We’re honored to have Casey on the flag stand representing her family, our friends at the Colts organization and Hoosiers everywhere who cherish our unique sports scene. Our organizations have a deep history together, and our fans cherish the familiar sight of players at the racetrack and drivers at the stadium.”
Indianapolis regularly welcomes new Colts’ draft picks through an annual visit to IMS on Fast Friday presented by Turtle Wax, and Colts’ legends like Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck and Reggie Wayne have been fixtures at the track over time. Leadership at IMS and the Colts worked together closely in planning the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl and have maintained close ties for decades.
After graduating from Indiana University with a degree in sports marketing, Casey Foyt worked for the NFL in London, planning the first regular-season NFL game played outside North America, as well as special events associated with the game.
Foyt joined the Colts in 2007 and focuses her energy on marketing and community relations. She helped revitalize the Indianapolis Colts Women’s Organization and planned the group’s first major fundraiser in 2007. Foyt also represent the club at NFL Owners’ Meetings and other league events.
Foyt resides in Carmel, Ind., with her husband, Indianapolis 500 veteran Anthony J. Foyt IV, and their five children. Foyt IV made six Indy 500 starts between 2003 and 2009, with a best finish of 14th in the rain-shortened 91st edition on May 27, 2007. Foyt IV completed 165 laps in the No. 22 Vision Racing Dallara/Honda in an event that finished under caution after 166 laps due to rain, and was won by Scotsman Dario Franchitti in the No. 27 Canadian Club Dallara/Honda.
