Felix Rosenqvist at the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Day After Photoshoot at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo by Joe Skibinski

By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio

Felix Rosenqvist’s last-lap victory dash in the 110^th Indianapolis 500 was rewarded Monday by a record $4.34-millon payday, a windfall shared by the workmanlike driver from Sweden and the “little team that could” from Pataskala, Ohio.

Indeed, the only two victories in the brief INDYCAR history of Meyer Shank Racing have been scored in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Helio Castroneves earned his record-tying fourth Indy 500 victory in his debut drive at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with MSR in May 2021. The popular Brazilian’s improbable win immediately raised the profile of the organization co-owned by native Ohioan Mike Shank and partner Jim Meyer, a longtime resident of Indianapolis.

“Helio is an owner in our group, too,” Meyer noted during Sunday’s post-race presser alongside Shank and Rosenqvist. “Helio, I think, is happier than Mike and I. He’s on Cloud Nine. This (win) changes everything is the only way I can say it. It’s an amazing thing.

“I will tell you, once you win it, all you want is to win it again.”

Enter Rosenqvist, a 34-year-old native of Varnamo, Sweden, with one previous victory on his NTT IndyCar Series resume. Rosenqvist rode the high line against the 2.5-mile Speedway’s concrete wall exiting Turn 4 on Lap 200 to power past Team Penske’s David Malukas in a battle of best friends chasing his first Indy 500 win.

Rosenqvist’s No. 60 SiriusXM Honda fielded by MSR with Curb Agajanian pipped Malukas and his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet at the Yard of Bricks start/finish line by 0.0233-seconds _ the length of the pointy nose of their respective Dallara chassis. The previous closest finish in 500 history unfolded in 1992, when Al Unser Jr. held off a charging Scott Goodyear by 0.043-seconds.

Rosenqvist acknowledged that might have been the best single lap he ever has driven in a career that began in the FIA’s Formula 3 European series in 2015.

“I’ll definitely say the balls arrived when they needed to,” said Rosenqvist, voted the NTT IndyCar Series’ Rookie of the Year in 2019 with Chip Ganassi Racing. “I’ve never been flat around the high line for more than one corner, I think. Yeah, to do a whole lap on the outside, that was pretty cool. It’s kind of unheard of at Indy.

“Yeah, that’s just how much you want it. It’s hard to explain that feeling, that you want it so much and you have so much adrenaline that you literally don’t care if you’re going to crash. You’re just going all-in. It was cool that that’s what it took to win it, as well.”

Shank’s career as racing driver peaked with an INDYCAR start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1997. Now in its third decade of competition, Mike Shank Racing is a perennial championship contender in sports car competition. MSR launched its INDYCAR program at the 2017 Indy 500 with driver Jack Harvey of Great Britain. In addition to Rosenqvist, the organization currently fields Marcus Armstrong fulltime. A 25-year-old native of New Zealand, Armstrong led Sunday’s race as late as Lap 196 of the scheduled 200 en route to finishing fifth.

Shank said Sunday’s results were a tribute to everyone working at MSR back in Pataskala, a growing Ohio suburban and rural city located in the southwestern corner of Licking County. Located approximately 19 miles east of downtown Columbus, Pataskala is a commuter suburb to an estimated population of approximately 18,782 _ an increase from the 17,886 residents recorded during the 2020 U.S. Census.

“It’s always about the people, and in this case it’s just a group on that No. 60 car…actually, it’s everybody involved,” Shank said. “Every single person in our shop, no matter what car you work on or if you work on the IMSA program, has a piece of this today. It’s the attitude we try to spread within the team.

“I’m overwhelmed, to be honest, because this place (IMS) for me personally is everything. It’s my Augusta. It’s my Kentucky Derby. For me personally. So proud of everybody.

“My analogy is that we’re right there on the precipice getting ready to burst the door down. That’s how I feel about the organization. We’re kind of an upper-mid-pack team is how I look at it now. But we’re right there at the top, and this proves that we can do it when it’s all set-up correctly. It’s just constant improving, constant improving. We want to get to the next level.”

Both Shank and Meyer acknowledged that MSR has benefitted from its engineering relationship with Chip Ganassi Racing. “I can’t thank CGR enough,” Shank said. “The relationship we have with Chip and his engineering (staff), Chris Simmons in that group, engineers that we have on our project are just phenomenal. And that relationship couldn’t be better right now.

“Everything about the team _ my whole point _ everything about our team right now is on a high trajectory. It’s heading where we want it.”

Meyer, who joined Shank as co-owner in 2017, brought with him the sponsorship clout of SiriusXM Radio. Meyer joined SiriusXM as president of Sales and Operations in 2004 and worked his way up the corporate ladder to CEO in 2013. He retired from that post at the end of 2020 to further chase his dream of being part of an Indy 500 winner.

“I think one of the things we realize is how competitive this INDYCAR racing is, how close they (the teams) are in terms of skill level,” Meyer said. “You have to be right to win a race here. I don’t care whether it’s Portland, St. Louis, Long Beach or the Indianapolis 500. You have to execute.

“We have been knocking on the doorstep, as Mike said. And Alex Palou (the four-time/reigning series champion from Spain) is a heck of a talent, and we’ve been after him. And today is so rewarding. Today was our day.”

The Indianapolis 500 purse record was broken for the fifth consecutive year. Rosenqvist and MSR will cash their $4.34-million check from a total purse of $30,906,400. This year’s average payout for NTT IndyCar Series drivers was $936,500, which easily exceeds last year’s average of $596,500.

The purse consists of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NTT IndyCar Series awards, plus other designated and special awards.

In 2025, the Indianapolis 500 purse was $20,283,000, and Palou’s winning payout was $3.8-million. In 2024, the Indy 500 purse was $18,456,000 and Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden earned $4.3-million, which included a $440,000 roll-over bonus from BorgWarner for earning back-to-back wins. In 2023, the Indy 500 purse was $17,021,500, with Newgarden earning $3.7-million. In 2022, the purse was $16,000,200, with Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson earning $3.1-million for CGR. Prior to 2022, the largest Indianapolis 500 purse was $14.4-million for the 2008 Indianapolis 500 won by New Zealander Scott Dixon, also of CGR.

“The Indianapolis 500 continues to make history, in more ways than one,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said during Monday night’s annual Victory Celebration ceremonies at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. “The Month of May featured a back-to-back grandstand sellout crowd _ our largest crowd since the 100th running in 2016 _ and intense on-track action with the most lead changes ever in the Indy 500.

“Felix Rosenqvist added his name to the history books in stellar fashion, with the closest finish in Indy 500 history and now the largest purse. There’s no better end to a memorable month.”

In addition, Mick Schumacher of Switzerland and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing earned Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honors for his performance during the Month of May. Schumacher finished 18^th _ last driver on the lead-lap _ in what was his second oval-track race and first Indy 500. The ROY honor was accompanied by a $50,000 bonus, adding to a total take-home prize of $218,800.

“I learned so much lap-after-lap, and I understand why people say this is ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’ It really makes sense,” said Schumacher, the 27-year-old son of seven-time Formula One World Driving Champion Michael Schumacher of Germany. “It is an amazing race and an amazing feeling to have all these fans here. Overall, I am blown away by the experience.”

Rosenqvist exited Arrow McLaren in September 2023 under terms of a multi-year contract with MSR that began with the 2024 season. Installed immediately as the team’s lead driver, Rosenqvist has settled in with MSR. To that point, Felix and wife, Emille, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Stella, on May 4.

“Yeah, it’s been an incredible journey together,” Rosenqvist said. “Mike kind of touched on it before, that when he signed me, he needed someone with speed: ‘That’s literally all I require from you is to be fast, and the rest we’ll figure out along the road.’ That’s kind of what it’s been.

“Obviously, been a bit of a Saturday (qualifying) man in this series and still am probably, but this year, something definitely changed. We were able to…like in Long Beach, we had a really good race pace, were able to be up there and fight for wins. We’ve been working a lot on that, and honestly never, ever have they put pressure on me, which is probably the first time in any team I’ve been where let’s say you have a crash or you have a bad day, you’re almost expecting them to be…you have a bad call with your team boss or added pressure.

“Mike and Jim, they’ve never, ever done that. I’ve had some pretty rough days with them and some really good days, but they never…every time I talk to them, they’re like, ‘You got this, you’re great, you’re as good as any of these drivers.’ You feel very welcomed and like inside a family when you have that relationship.”

Next NTT IndyCar Series race is the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear on Sunday, May 31, on the Streets of Downtown Motown. The race will be broadcast live on FOX, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls at 12:30 p.m. (EDT).

Indianapolis 500 fans are eligible to renew their tickets for the Month of May and the 111^th running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday, May 30, 2027.

May 224, 2026; Speedway, IN, USA; The field enters the third corner before the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson

Fans can renew or request an upgrade for their Indy 500 tickets at ims.com/renew, by calling 317-492-6700 or by visiting the IMS Ticket Office. The renewal window will continue through Monday evening, June 15, approximately 500 hours following the checkered flag of the 110th Indianapolis presented by Gainbridge.

These are the best prices of the year for renewals and upgrades. Prices will increase when tickets go on sale this fall, and again in 2027 before each event.

The 2027 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge logo captures the enduring legacy of the Racing Capital of the World. The iconic Indy 500 wordmark is encased within a red oval tilted at a nine-degree angle, which is a deliberate nod to the signature banking of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Framing this central element is a bold, white geometric structure representing the Speedway’s massive grandstands; a tribute to the venue’s status as the world’s largest permanent sporting facility and a celebration of back-to-back grandstand sellout crowds. The logo reinforces that while speed is a global pursuit, the true heartbeat of the sport originates at The Brickyard.

May 224, 2026; Speedway, IN, USA; Race fans file into the stands before the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Michael C. Johnson

“The Indianapolis 500 is a can’t-miss Bucket List event fueled by the best and most loyal fans in sports. Their passion and love for the Speedway and the Indy 500 are unmatched,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “The logo honors our full grandstands as our fans race to renew or request seat upgrades by the June 15 deadline for next year’s epic Race Day.”

This design continues a consistent visual series around a recognizable wordmark that began in 2019 with Gainbridge’s inaugural sponsorship.

Fans renewing their tickets to the Indy 500 and/or Sonsio Grand Prix Race Day also can order additional Month of May products at the lowest prices available during the renewal period. Those products include:

_ Month of May practice and qualification day tickets

_ Bronze and Silver Badges

_ Indianapolis 500 Victory Celebration presented by Gainbridge tickets

_ Miller Lite Carb Day tickets and concert upgrades

_ Coors Light Snake Pit wristbands

_ Parking (including ADA parking) and camping passes

Those who take advantage of the renewal period also will have priority for ticket upgrades and are eligible for presale offers for IMS and partner events.

All renewal customers can visit IMS.com/renew for more information.

Fans who did not attend IMS during this Month of May but are planning to attend in May 2027 also can apply for tickets now at the lowest prices of the year. Visit ims.com/apply for more information.

NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings _ 1, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 273; 2, David Malukas, Team Penske, 236; 3, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 224; 4, Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, 195; 5, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 188;  6, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 181; 7, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 176; 8, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 167; 9, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 167; 10, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, 154;

11, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 151; 12, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 129; 13, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing, 127; 14, Rinus VeeKay, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 125; 15, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 122; 16, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 116; 17, Will Power, Andretti Global, 112; 18, Dennis Hauger, Dale Coyne Racing, 111; 19, Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 95; 20, Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren, 95;

21, Romain Grosjean, Dale Coyne Racing, 92; 22, Caio Collet, A.J. Foyt Racing, 76; 23, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 71; 24, Mick Schumacher, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 66; 25, Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 62; 26, Derek Daly, Dryer & Reinbold Racing, 24; 27, Takuma Sato, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 20; 28, Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, 8; 29, Jacob Abel, Abel Motorsports, 6; 30, Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian, 5;

31, Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, 5; 32, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Arrow McLaren, 5; 33, Katherine Legge, HMD Motorsports with A.J. Foyt Racing, 5.

FOX SPORTS’ 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES BROADCAST SCHEDULE/(RACE WINNER)

Note _ All times Eastern

Sunday, March 1 _ Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, March 7 _ Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Ariz., (Josef Newgarden, Team Penske)

Sunday, March 15 _ Streets of Arlington, Texas, (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, March 29 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala., (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, April 19 _ Streets of Long Beach, Calif., (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, May 9 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course, (Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, May 24 _ 110^th Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval, (Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian)

Sunday, May 31 _ Streets of Downtown Detroit, 12:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 7 _ World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill., 9 p.m.

Sunday, June 21 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis., 2 p.m.

Sunday, July 5 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, 12:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 19 _ Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn., TBA

Sunday, Aug. 9 _ Portland (Ore.) International Raceway, 4 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 16 _ Streets of Markham, Canada, Noon

Sunday, Aug. 23 _ Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., TBA

Saturday, Aug. 29 _ The Milwaukee Mile Race 1, West Allis, Wis., 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 30 _ The Milwaukee Mile Race 2, West Allis, Wis., 1 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 6 _ WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., 2:30 p.m.

Note _ Dates and times subject to change.

2026 INDYCAR NXT BY FIRESTONE SCHEDULE/(RACE-WINNER)

Sunday, March 1 _ Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., (Nikita Johnson, Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR)

Sunday, March 15 _ Streets of Arlington, Texas, (Max Taylor, Andretti Global)

Saturday, March 28 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala., (Nikita Johnson, Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR)

Sunday, March 29 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala., (Alessandro de Tullio, A.J. Foyt Racing)

Friday, May 8 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course Race 1 (Enzo Fittipaldi, HMD Motorsports)

Saturday, May 9 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course Race 2 (Tymek Kucharczyk, HMD Motorsports)

Sunday, May 31 _ Streets of Downtown Detroit

Sunday, June 7 _ World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.

Saturday, June 20 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis., Race 1

Sunday, June 21 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis., Race 2

Saturday, July 4 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Race 1

Sunday, July 5 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Race 2

Sunday, July 19 _ Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn.

Sunday, Aug. 9 _ Portland (Ore.) International Raceway

Sunday, Aug. 30 _ The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis.

Saturday, Sept. 5 _ Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., Race 1

Sunday, Sept. 6 _ Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., Race 2