Indy 500: 2012-2021
The DW12 & Aero Kit Era
2012 Indianapolis 500 — Risk and Reward
Date: May 27, 2012
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 74 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Dario Franchitti — Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara DW12 Honda
Average Speed: 167.734 mph
Margin of Victory: Under caution
Prelude to the Ninety-Sixth Running
The 2012 Indianapolis 500 marked the dawn of a new era in IndyCar racing.
After the tragic death of Dan Wheldon in October 2011, the series introduced the brand-new Dallara DW12 chassis — named in Wheldon’s honor — featuring improved aerodynamics and enhanced safety.
It was the first major technical shift in nearly a decade, and it brought fresh excitement to the Speedway.
The DW12 was shorter, more compact, and more aerodynamically stable in traffic — creating closer racing than ever before.
Three engine manufacturers returned to competition:
Honda, defending their dominance
Chevrolet, newly partnered with Penske and Andretti Autosport
Lotus, underpowered but present in spirit
The field was deep, diverse, and balanced.
Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Will Power, Scott Dixon, and Dario Franchitti were all pre-race favorites.
Yet all eyes were also on newcomers — Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, and Japan’s fearless Takuma Sato — the driver who would define this race’s unforgettable ending.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
Ryan Briscoe — Team Penske Chevrolet — Pole, 226.484 mph
James Hinchcliffe — Andretti Autosport Chevrolet — 2nd
Ryan Hunter-Reay — Andretti Autosport Chevrolet — 3rd
Scott Dixon — Chip Ganassi Honda — 15th
Dario Franchitti — Chip Ganassi Honda — 16th
Takuma Sato — Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda — 19th
With the new car, the draft effect was enormous — the field could pack tightly together, trading the lead more than in any 500 before it.
In fact, the 2012 race would see a record 34 lead changes among 10 drivers, a testament to the new era’s competitive balance.
Race Day
Sunday, May 27, 2012.
Under brilliant sunshine and 85°F heat, the DW12 made its race debut in front of nearly 300,000 fans.
From the start, Ryan Briscoe and James Hinchcliffe traded the lead through the opening laps, with Marco Andretti soon joining the fray.
The early pace was blistering — 220 mph averages — and the new cars proved capable of tight packs three-wide down the straights.
But it was Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti, the Ganassi duo, who methodically moved through the field.
By lap 60, both Hondas had broken into the top five, using superior fuel mileage to offset Chevrolet’s outright speed advantage.
The race unfolded as a high-speed chess match — cars drafting, swapping, and resetting lap after lap.
Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Ed Carpenter all led at various stages, but Ganassi’s tire management and pit discipline slowly tilted the balance their way.
The Turning Point — Sato’s Daring Gamble
As the race entered its final 30 laps, it became a shootout between Franchitti, Dixon, Kanaan, and Sato — four different drivers representing four distinct eras of IndyCar.
On lap 187, Franchitti made a crucial pit stop under green, emerging just ahead of Dixon.
They ran nose-to-tail for the next ten laps, side-drafting at over 220 mph — neither giving an inch.
Then, with five laps to go, Kanaan took the lead after a caution restart, triggering a deafening cheer from the grandstands.
But Franchitti quickly countered, diving beneath Kanaan at Turn 1 to retake the lead with four laps remaining.
Behind them, Sato was coming.
Having saved fuel and tires perfectly, he launched a furious charge, passing Dixon for second with two laps to go.
The white flag flew.
Franchitti led into Turn 1 — but Sato had a massive run.
Down the front straight, the Japanese driver dove to the inside, wheels nearly touching, his Honda’s nose alongside Franchitti’s left rear as they approached Turn 1.
But the inside line was too tight, too shallow.
As they turned in, Sato’s car twitched, lost grip, and spun hard into the wall.
Franchitti, inches away, barely avoided the impact and shot down the back straight as the yellow flag waved.
Under caution, Dario Franchitti cruised to his third Indianapolis 500 victory, crossing the line behind the pace car — while Sato’s destroyed machine rested against the Turn 1 wall.
Aftermath and Legacy
The 2012 Indianapolis 500 became an instant classic — a race defined by courage, mutual respect, and the razor’s edge between victory and disaster.
For Dario Franchitti, it was a milestone that placed him among the immortals:
Three-time winner (2007, 2010, 2012)
Two-time polesitter
Led 23 laps in the final race of a 500-mile dynasty that spanned half a decade
He joined the exclusive company of Louis Meyer, Mauri Rose, Wilbur Shaw, Johnny Rutherford, and Helio Castroneves as a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner.
Scott Dixon finished second, giving Chip Ganassi Racing its third 1–2 finish at Indianapolis, and Tony Kanaan finished third, earning yet another heroic but bittersweet podium.
Takuma Sato, though classified 17th, won universal admiration for his fearless move.
In Victory Lane, Franchitti, clearly emotional, paid tribute to his late friend:
“This one’s for Dan Wheldon. I think he was riding with me today.”
The crowd erupted.
For a race built on the memory of Wheldon — and with his initials carried on every car — the symbolism was perfect.
Reflections
The 2012 Indianapolis 500 was a race of renewal and reflection — a fitting start to a new chapter in IndyCar’s history.
It combined the fierce technical competition of the DW12 era with the human spirit that has always defined the Speedway.
Franchitti’s victory, achieved through intellect and precision, was the perfect contrast to Sato’s raw courage.
Together, they delivered one of the most thrilling and emotionally resonant finishes in modern racing.
As Franchitti held the milk aloft in Victory Lane, he said quietly to the crowd:
“This place gives and takes in equal measure. Today, it gave something beautiful back.”
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2012 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “Risk and Reward: The 2012 Indianapolis 500” (May 2112 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, May 27–29, 2012 — Race-day coverage, driver interviews, and technical analysis
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 114, No. 2 (2076) — “The DW12 Debuts: Courage and Control at 220 mph”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12 chassis and Honda performance data (2012)
IndyCar Yearbook 2012 — Lap charts, pit summaries, and post-race classification
2013 Indianapolis 500 — At Long Last, TK
Date: May 26, 2013
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 77 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Tony Kanaan — KV Racing Technology Dallara DW12 Chevrolet
Average Speed: 187.433 mph (a new race record)
Margin of Victory: Under caution
Prelude to the Ninety-Seventh Running
Few stories in Indianapolis lore rival Tony Kanaan’s long road to victory.
By 2013, the Brazilian was already a beloved figure — a driver defined by charisma, grit, and a seemingly endless series of near-misses.
He had led laps in seven consecutive 500s, finished on the podium multiple times, and captured hearts with daring moves and self-deprecating humor.
But fate had always intervened:
crashes, cautions, fuel gambles, and heartbreak had repeatedly denied him the Borg-Warner Trophy.
Meanwhile, the sport itself was in rare form. The DW12 had transformed racing at Indianapolis into a slipstream ballet — pack racing returned, with aerodynamic efficiency and engine parity ensuring constant action.
Chevrolet and Honda were evenly matched, and KV Racing Technology, co-owned by Jimmy Vasser and Kevin Kalkhoven, had quietly assembled a perfect package.
Kanaan’s teammate Simona de Silvestro ran a parallel car, while Jimmy Vasser — himself a former CART champion — had made Indy victory his life’s unfinished goal.
This, they said, might finally be Tony’s year.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
Ed Carpenter — Pole — Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet — 228.762 mph
Carlos Muñoz — Rookie, Andretti Autosport Chevrolet — 2nd
Marco Andretti — 3rd — Andretti Autosport Chevrolet
Tony Kanaan — 12th — KV Racing Chevrolet
Scott Dixon — 16th — Chip Ganassi Honda
Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Will Power — all inside the top 10
The 2013 race was the second with the Dallara DW12, now fully refined for high-drag drafting battles.
The 2.2L turbocharged V6 engines from Chevrolet and Honda produced around 700 horsepower, and the slipstream effect made overtaking both possible and essential.
Race Day
Sunday, May 26, 2013.
Clear skies, 68°F, and perfect racing conditions greeted a near-capacity crowd.
At the start, Ed Carpenter held his pole advantage into Turn 1, with Marco Andretti and Carlos Muñoz immediately attacking.
But from the opening laps, the field ran two- and three-wide — a constant blur of position changes.
By lap 50, there had already been more than a dozen different leaders.
Kanaan, true to form, was among them — slicing through traffic with signature boldness, passing two and three cars at a time into Turn 1, drawing cheers from the grandstands each time.
The middle stages saw the rhythm of a true modern Indy epic:
Andretti Autosport’s five-car armada controlled the tempo.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, and Carlos Muñoz all spent time up front.
Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves stalked quietly in the top five.
Kanaan, running slightly off-sequence on pit stops, kept himself in contention without ever losing sight of the leaders.
Then, in the final 50 laps, the tone changed — from strategy to survival.
The Turning Point — The Final Restart
By lap 175, the top ten cars were separated by less than two seconds.
Lead changes came every lap, sometimes twice a lap — the DW12 draft producing endless exchanges down the front and back straights.
Kanaan positioned himself perfectly among the front runners, timing his runs behind Hunter-Reay and Muñoz.
Every few laps, he’d appear out of nowhere — the bright green No. 11 KV Racing Chevrolet sweeping past three cars in a single move, a flash of bravery and skill honed over a decade of heartbreak.
With three laps remaining, a late caution for Dario Franchitti’s crash froze the field.
Just seconds before the yellow flag flew, Kanaan had passed Hunter-Reay into Turn 1 — taking the lead at the exact moment the caution light illuminated.
It was the move that decided the race.
As the field circulated under caution for the final two laps, the emotion in the KV pit was visible:
Jimmy Vasser was in tears; engineers clutched each other in disbelief.
When the checkered flag waved on lap 200, Tony Kanaan finally became an Indianapolis 500 winner.
Aftermath and Legacy
The Speedway erupted.
Fans — many of them wearing Kanaan’s green and orange — cheered louder than for any winner in recent memory.
For Tony Kanaan, it was the culmination of everything: skill, heartbreak, loyalty, and perseverance.
He had led 34 laps — and, most importantly, the last one.
The victory came in his 12th attempt, the longest wait for a first win since Sam Hanks in 1957.
In Victory Lane, tears mixed with milk as Kanaan said simply:
“I was thinking of all the other times I was leading here when the yellow came out, and I thought, ‘Not again.’ But this time, it was meant to be.”
His win was also KV Racing Technology’s first and only Indianapolis 500 triumph, and the first for co-owner Jimmy Vasser — himself a driver who had come close but never conquered the Brickyard.
Carlos Muñoz, the 21-year-old rookie, finished second, an astonishing debut performance.
Ryan Hunter-Reay completed the podium, while Marco Andretti, again in contention, finished fourth.
The race saw 68 official lead changes among 14 drivers — both records at the time.
Reflections
The 2013 Indianapolis 500 wasn’t just a race — it was the long-delayed payoff for one of motorsport’s most beloved competitors.
Tony Kanaan’s victory captured everything pure about racing:
perseverance rewarded, heartbreak redeemed, and talent finally recognized by fate.
It was a clean, thrilling, and deeply emotional event — a race with no controversy, no luck, and no fluke.
Just a driver who had given everything to Indianapolis finally getting everything back.
As the sun set that evening, the Speedway echoed with the same chant rising from every grandstand:
“T.K.! T.K.! T.K.!”
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2013 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “At Long Last, TK: The 2013 Indianapolis 500” (May 2113 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, May 26–28, 2013 — Race-day coverage and post-race interviews
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 115, No. 2 (2077) — “Fate and Fire: The Story of Tony Kanaan’s Triumph”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12-Chevrolet telemetry and KV Racing data (2013)
IndyCar Yearbook 2013 — Lap charts, pit data, and lead change records
2014 Indianapolis 500 — America’s Champion
Date: May 25, 2014
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 79 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Ryan Hunter-Reay — Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12 Honda
Average Speed: 186.563 mph
Margin of Victory: 0.0600 seconds
Prelude to the Ninety-Eighth Running
The 2014 Indianapolis 500 marked the peak of the DW12 era’s high-speed parity.
Honda and Chevrolet were evenly matched, and the competition so close that more than half the field had a legitimate shot at victory.
For Andretti Autosport, the team that had come agonizingly close to winning the previous year with Carlos Muñoz and Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 was a chance for redemption.
Hunter-Reay, the 2012 IndyCar champion and now the team’s anchor, carried quiet confidence all month.
Hélio Castroneves, already a three-time winner (2001, 2002, 2009), sought to join the most exclusive club in motorsport — the four-time Indianapolis winners: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., and Rick Mears.
The narrative was simple: America’s top open-wheel driver versus the most decorated Brazilian in Indy history — two men who knew what it meant to win the 500, and who respected each other enough to fight it cleanly.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
Ed Carpenter — Pole — Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet — 231.067 mph
James Hinchcliffe — Andretti Autosport Honda — 2nd
Will Power — Team Penske Chevrolet — 3rd
Ryan Hunter-Reay — Andretti Autosport Honda — 7th
Hélio Castroneves — Team Penske Chevrolet — 8th
Marco Andretti, Carlos Muñoz, and Kurt Busch — all part of a five-car Andretti armada
This was the fastest field in history up to that point — an average qualifying speed of 229.382 mph.
Every car ran the Dallara DW12 chassis, with aerodynamic kits refined for both stability and slipstream racing.
The blend of downforce and drag produced breathtaking racing: 34 official lead changes among 11 drivers.
Race Day
Sunday, May 25, 2014.
Blue skies, 80°F — the kind of perfect Indianapolis day that seems to summon legends.
At the green, Ed Carpenter led early, holding off James Hinchcliffe and Will Power through the opening stint.
But by lap 30, the Andretti cars began asserting themselves. Ryan Hunter-Reay, methodical and smooth, moved quietly into the top five, conserving fuel and tracking the leaders.
The race ebbed and flowed with classic Indy rhythm — long green-flag stretches punctuated by brief cautions.
Marco Andretti, Castroneves, and Hunter-Reay all took turns at the front as pit strategies diverged.
By halfway, Hunter-Reay had established himself as the car to beat. His No. 28 DHL Honda ran beautifully in traffic, stable in corners and fast on restarts — traits that would become decisive later.
The Turning Point — Duel for the Ages
With 25 laps to go, the race tightened into a pure duel.
A massive crash on lap 192 involving Townsend Bell brought out the red flag. The field stopped on pit lane for 10 tense minutes as cleanup crews repaired the SAFER barrier.
When the race resumed, it set up an eight-lap shootout for immortality.
Hunter-Reay led at the restart, but Castroneves immediately countered with a breathtaking move around the outside of Turn 1 — a maneuver that drew gasps from the crowd.
The two veterans then began trading the lead every lap, drafting and passing with millimeter precision.
With two laps remaining, Castroneves surged ahead again. Hunter-Reay regrouped, using the low line — impossibly tight but aerodynamic gold — to slingshot back past Helio into Turn 3.
The crowd of 300,000 was on its feet, roaring as the two cars crossed the yard of bricks side-by-side at over 220 mph.
On the final lap, Castroneves tried one last time, pulling even through Turn 4. But Hunter-Reay’s inside line held firm.
He crossed the finish just 0.0600 seconds ahead — barely half a car length — the second-closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history.
Aftermath and Legacy
As the cars slowed, Castroneves raised his hand in salute. He had fought with everything he had — clean, respectful, and fearless.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, exhausted and elated, screamed over the radio:
“I can’t believe it! This is America’s race — and we won it!”
The crowd erupted in a thunderous ovation rarely heard for an American driver in the modern era.
Hunter-Reay’s victory marked the first for an American-born driver since Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006 — a deeply symbolic moment for a series long seeking to reconnect with its domestic roots.
It was also the first Indianapolis 500 win for a U.S.-born driver in a Honda.
For Andretti Autosport, it was redemption after years of near-misses.
Team owner Michael Andretti, who had led more laps at Indy than any driver who never won, beamed as he hugged Hunter-Reay in Victory Lane — his 2006 heartbreak avenged by one of the most thrilling finishes in modern history.
Castroneves, gracious in defeat, finished second for the second time in his career (after 2003).
Marco Andretti was third, making it an Andretti 1–3 result, while Carlos Muñoz and Juan Pablo Montoya rounded out the top five.
Hunter-Reay led 56 laps, Castroneves 38, and the race’s 187.433 mph average made it, at the time, the fastest Indianapolis 500 ever run.
Reflections
The 2014 Indianapolis 500 was a masterclass in clean, close racing — a duel defined not by luck or attrition, but by mutual respect and inch-perfect execution.
For Ryan Hunter-Reay, it was career validation — the IndyCar champion finally cementing his legacy with a win in the race that matters most.
For Helio Castroneves, it was a near-miss that only deepened his legend, a reminder that few men could fight so hard and still smile afterward.
As Hunter-Reay stood on Victory Lane, milk dripping down his firesuit, his voice cracked with emotion:
“I’ve watched this race since I was a kid. I’ve dreamed about this forever. Today — this is what it means to be an American driver.”
The crowd’s response said everything:
a mix of nostalgia, pride, and awe — for a duel that would be remembered among the greatest in Indianapolis history.
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2014 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “America’s Champion: The 2014 Indianapolis 500” (May 2114 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, May 25–27, 2014 — Race-day and post-race coverage
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 116, No. 2 (2078) — “The Duel: Hunter-Reay vs. Castroneves at Indianapolis”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12-Honda aerodynamic data (2014)
IndyCar Yearbook 2014 — Lap charts, pit analysis, and final classification
2015 Indianapolis 500 — The Comeback King
Date: May 24, 2015
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 84 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya — Team Penske Dallara DW12 Chevrolet
Average Speed: 161.341 mph
Margin of Victory: 0.1046 seconds
Prelude to the Ninety-Ninth Running
The 2015 Indianapolis 500 was contested under the shadow — and excitement — of change.
This was the first 500 featuring aero kits from both Chevrolet and Honda, each manufacturer allowed to modify the DW12’s bodywork for the first time.
The result: unprecedented speeds and equally unprecedented unpredictability.
Chevrolet’s package, developed by Pratt & Miller, emphasized low drag and straight-line efficiency.
Honda’s configuration offered higher downforce, better in traffic but slower on the straights.
The field was split nearly evenly between the two, creating one of the most technically diverse and competitive grids in years.
For Team Penske, the powerhouse of the series, 2015 was an all-star lineup:
Juan Pablo Montoya — the 2000 winner, back at full-time IndyCar competition
Will Power — reigning series champion
Hélio Castroneves — three-time winner
Simon Pagenaud — new recruit and dark horse
Penske’s four-car armada looked nearly unbeatable, but few expected Montoya — starting deep in the pack after a qualifying misstep — to be their spearhead.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
Scott Dixon — Pole — Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet — 226.760 mph
Will Power — Team Penske Chevrolet — 2nd
Simon Pagenaud — Team Penske Chevrolet — 3rd
Tony Kanaan — 4th — Ganassi Chevrolet
Juan Pablo Montoya — 15th (after rear wing damage penalty dropped him early)
Graham Rahal — 17th — Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
This was the fastest field ever assembled — an average speed of 223.454 mph, with 17 cars qualifying above 225 mph.
Yet the month had been marred by spectacular practice crashes, as the new aero kits produced unpredictable rear lift during spins.
Safety modifications to downforce levels were implemented in time for the race, but tension lingered.
Race Day
Sunday, May 24, 2015.
Warm, breezy, and charged with energy — the atmosphere before the 99th Indianapolis 500 was electric.
At the start, Scott Dixon and Will Power led the early laps, while Montoya’s race nearly imploded immediately — contact from Simona de Silvestro on lap 7 broke his rear wing endplate, forcing an early pit stop.
He rejoined 30th, effectively starting his race from scratch.
From there, Montoya delivered a drive of surgical perfection.
He picked off cars one by one, making clean, aggressive passes in both lanes — his racecraft honed by years in Formula 1, NASCAR, and his previous IndyCar career.
By lap 100, Montoya was already inside the top ten.
By lap 150, he was in the top five, shadowing the dominant Penskes of Power, Pagenaud, and Castroneves, along with Dixon and Kanaan from Ganassi.
The race’s pace was relentless — green-flag pit sequences cycled with metronomic precision, and no one driver could break away for long.
The Turning Point — A Classic Penske Finish
With 15 laps to go, a caution for Jack Hawksworth’s crash reset the field for a 10-lap shootout that would become an instant classic.
Power led, with Montoya second and Dixon third.
At the restart, Montoya used the draft perfectly, diving under Power into Turn 1 — the two cars side-by-side at over 225 mph.
Power countered through Turn 2, reclaiming the lead with a masterful outside move.
For five laps, the two traded positions with breathtaking precision, neither yielding an inch but both refusing contact.
Behind them, Charlie Kimball, Scott Dixon, and Will Power’s teammate Pagenaud lurked, ready to pounce if either faltered.
With three laps to go, Montoya launched the decisive move — using the outside line into Turn 1 to surprise Power, then defending aggressively down the backstretch.
Power drew alongside again with one lap remaining, but Montoya’s defensive line through Turns 3 and 4 was flawless.
He crossed the yard of bricks just 0.1046 seconds ahead, claiming his second Indianapolis 500 victory — fifteen years after his first, the longest gap between wins in race history.
Aftermath and Legacy
The 2015 Indianapolis 500 was hailed instantly as a modern classic — fast, clean, and fought to the very end.
For Juan Pablo Montoya, it was the ultimate vindication.
At 39, he had returned to IndyCar after years away, against a new generation of stars, and proved that pure racecraft never ages.
It was Team Penske’s 16th Indianapolis 500 victory, and its third in seven years, cementing Roger Penske’s operation as the undisputed benchmark of the modern era.
In Victory Lane, Montoya was uncharacteristically emotional — though still smiling with his trademark blunt humor:
“It’s awesome, man. You don’t get many chances like this. We had to fight for it — twice. But I guess I like doing things the hard way.”
Behind him, Will Power finished second, Charlie Kimball third, and Scott Dixon fourth — all within two seconds of the lead.
The race featured 37 official lead changes among 10 drivers, one of the tightest in history.
Reflections
The 2015 Indianapolis 500 was a celebration of everything the event stands for: experience triumphing under pressure, precision under chaos, and respect between fierce rivals.
Montoya’s drive was pure craft — no luck, no gamble, just execution.
He survived contact, managed fuel, judged the aero balance perfectly, and, when it mattered most, out-thought one of the fastest drivers in the world.
As Roger Penske put it afterward:
“When you need someone to win the biggest race in the world, you call Montoya.”
It was, simply, the perfect victory for a driver whose career had come full circle — from brash prodigy in 2000 to seasoned master in 2015.
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2015 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “The Comeback King: Montoya’s 2015 Indianapolis 500” (May 2115 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, May 24–26, 2015 — Race-day coverage and technical features on the aero kits
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 117, No. 2 (2079) — “Precision and Power: The 2015 Indianapolis 500”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12-Chevrolet aerodynamic kit analysis (2015)
IndyCar Yearbook 2015 — Lap charts, pit sequences, and official results
2016 Indianapolis 500 — The Centennial Miracle
Date: May 29, 2016
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 81 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Alexander Rossi — Andretti Herta Autosport Dallara DW12 Honda
Average Speed: 166.634 mph
Margin of Victory: 4.4975 seconds (under green)
Prelude to the One-Hundredth Running
The 2016 Indianapolis 500 was unlike any race that came before it — the centennial running of the event that had defined American motorsport for a century.
Months of buildup led to one of the largest single-day sporting crowds in history — more than 350,000 spectators, a sellout for the first time since the 1990s.
IndyCar entered the race enjoying a resurgence:
The DW12 chassis, now in its fifth season, was fast and stable.
Honda and Chevrolet’s aero kits were finely tuned.
The competition was the tightest it had been in years.
Andretti Autosport, winners in 2005, 2007, and 2014, entered with five cars — including one for 24-year-old Californian Alexander Rossi, who had returned from Formula 1 to pursue a career in IndyCar.
Paired with Bryan Herta (the strategist behind Dan Wheldon’s 2011 triumph), Rossi entered with minimal oval experience — and no one expected him to contend.
Meanwhile, Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing — led by Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Helio Castroneves, and Scott Dixon — were the favorites.
But as Indy has proved for a century, destiny rarely follows prediction.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
James Hinchcliffe — Pole — Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda — 230.760 mph (a storybook comeback after his near-fatal 2015 crash)
Josef Newgarden — Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet — 2nd
Ryan Hunter-Reay — Andretti Autosport Honda — 3rd
Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Carlos Muñoz, Simon Pagenaud, Scott Dixon, and Will Power — all among the frontrunners
Alexander Rossi — Starting 11th — Andretti Herta Autosport Honda
The race was expected to be a strategic blend of speed and fuel economy — the 2016 aero kits offered higher drag, which meant drafting and timing were critical.
Race Day
Sunday, May 29, 2016.
Under perfect blue skies and 80°F heat, the green flag dropped on a race steeped in emotion and spectacle.
From the outset, James Hinchcliffe led the field smoothly into Turn 1, chased by Ryan Hunter-Reay and Josef Newgarden.
The early laps were clean and fast, with Chevrolet-powered cars dominating the top five.
By lap 60, the Andretti Hondas — led by Hunter-Reay, Carlos Muñoz, and Rossi — began asserting control.
Their fuel efficiency was noticeably better, allowing longer stints and strategic flexibility.
The middle stages were classic Indianapolis — a cycle of green-flag stops, high-speed duels, and pit-lane precision.
At lap 100, Hunter-Reay and Townsend Bell, Rossi’s Andretti teammates, had led nearly every lap between them, while Rossi stayed quietly inside the top ten, saving fuel and watching.
A series of cautions between laps 114 and 160 shuffled the order, eliminating several contenders — notably Helio Castroneves, who suffered rear wing damage after contact with J.R. Hildebrand.
As the race entered its final 40 laps, the contenders emerged: Josef Newgarden, Tony Kanaan, Carlos Muñoz, and Rossi.
The Turning Point — The Gamble of the Century
At lap 164, the final round of pit stops began.
Carlos Muñoz and Josef Newgarden pitted for a final splash of fuel, as did nearly everyone else.
But Bryan Herta, Rossi’s strategist, saw an opportunity.
Knowing the Honda’s fuel efficiency and calculating potential cautions, he made the boldest call of the race:
“We’re staying out. You’re going to have to make it on fumes.”
Rossi stayed on track, taking the lead on lap 197 as his rivals pitted for a final top-off.
The crowd murmured — a rookie trying to stretch his tank 36 laps to the finish? It seemed impossible.
With two laps to go, Rossi’s lead was shrinking — Muñoz, on full power, was closing at two seconds per lap.
Rossi’s Honda sputtered down the back straight on the final lap, coasting at just 180 mph.
But the checkered flag appeared first.
He crossed the yard of bricks silently, engine nearly dead, to win the 100th Indianapolis 500.
Aftermath and Legacy
The Speedway erupted in disbelief.
Alexander Rossi, in his very first Indianapolis 500, had pulled off one of the greatest strategic upsets in racing history — stretching his final tank 36 laps (nearly 90 miles) to the finish.
He became the first rookie winner since Helio Castroneves in 2001, and only the ninth rookie to win the race overall.
It was also Bryan Herta’s second Indy 500 victory as a strategist — both achieved through daring late-race gambles.
Behind Rossi, Carlos Muñoz finished second, his second runner-up in three years, while Josef Newgarden completed the podium.
Tony Kanaan and Charlie Kimball rounded out the top five, both strong all day.
The result marked the fourth Indianapolis 500 win for Andretti Autosport, and Honda’s first since 2012.
In Victory Lane, Rossi — overwhelmed and nearly speechless — said simply:
“I have no idea how we did that. Bryan Herta — he made a call, and I just drove the car.”
He didn’t even have enough fuel to make the traditional victory lap; his car coasted to a stop in Turn 4 as the crowd roared around him.
Reflections
The 2016 Indianapolis 500 captured the essence of the event’s first hundred years — part engineering, part bravery, and part miracle.
It wasn’t the fastest or the flashiest race, but it was a story of ingenuity and nerve — a modern echo of the 1911 original, when Ray Harroun had won by innovation rather than speed.
Rossi’s quiet intelligence and Herta’s boldness brought the 100th race full circle — from a century of risk-takers to a new generation of thinkers.
As the crowd chanted and the confetti fell, one couldn’t help but feel the ghosts of Indy past smiling on the yard of bricks.
The centennial running had delivered everything it promised — a new hero, an unforgettable story, and proof that at Indianapolis, even the impossible can happen.
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2016 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “The Centennial Miracle: The 2016 Indianapolis 500” (May 2116 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, May 29–31, 2016 — Race-day and strategy coverage
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 118, No. 2 (2080) — “Running on Fumes: The Strategy That Won the 100th Indy 500”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12-Honda telemetry and fuel mapping (2016)
IndyCar Yearbook 2016 — Lap charts, pit stop logs, and final classification
2017 Indianapolis 500 — Redemption for the Brave
Date: May 28, 2017
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 79 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Takuma Sato — Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12 Honda
Average Speed: 155.395 mph
Margin of Victory: 0.2011 seconds
Prelude to the One-Hundred-First Running
The 2017 Indianapolis 500 arrived at a crossroads for IndyCar — a season straddling eras.
It was the final year of the controversial aero kit regulations introduced in 2015, which had produced both record speeds and high drama.
But for fans and the world at large, this race was something special.
The entry list included not only IndyCar’s finest but a Formula 1 megastar: Fernando Alonso, competing for McLaren-Honda-Andretti in one of the most anticipated crossovers in motorsport history.
His arrival brought global attention back to Indianapolis, with fans from across Europe and Japan flocking to see how the two-time world champion would fare on American ovals.
For Andretti Autosport, Alonso was one of six entries — alongside Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi, Marco Andretti, Jack Harvey, and Takuma Sato.
It was a powerhouse lineup capable of matching the might of Team Penske, which fielded Castroneves, Will Power, Josef Newgarden, and Juan Pablo Montoya.
The defending race winner, Alexander Rossi, entered quietly but confidently, while Sato — now 40 years old — was viewed as the team’s steady veteran, a man remembered as much for his boldness as his 2012 heartbreak.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
Scott Dixon — Pole — Chip Ganassi Racing Honda — 232.164 mph
Ed Carpenter — 2nd — Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Alexander Rossi — 3rd — Andretti Autosport Honda
Takuma Sato — 4th — Andretti Autosport Honda
Fernando Alonso — 5th — McLaren-Honda-Andretti
Tony Kanaan, Will Power, Helio Castroneves, Josef Newgarden — all inside the top ten
This was the fastest front row in Indianapolis 500 history, with Dixon’s pole average the quickest since 1996.
But the Hondas, while blisteringly quick, carried a known weakness — fragile turbochargers that could fail under prolonged heat.
It would become a decisive factor before day’s end.
Race Day
Sunday, May 28, 2017.
Sun-drenched and electric — 300,000 fans, global media, and a palpable sense that something historic was about to unfold.
At the drop of the green flag, Scott Dixon led into Turn 1, immediately setting a blistering pace. Rossi, Sato, and Alonso followed in formation, the Andretti Hondas proving both fast and stable in the early stages.
Fernando Alonso, running with quiet precision, quickly established himself as a contender, leading for the first time on lap 37 — to a roar unlike any in recent Indy memory.
He would lead 27 laps in total, running consistently among the top five and validating every ounce of the hype surrounding his debut.
By mid-race, the battle was wide open:
Dixon, Kanaan, and Castroneves for Ganassi and Penske;
Alonso, Sato, and Rossi for Andretti;
and Ed Carpenter and Max Chilton as strong independents.
Then came the moment that silenced the Speedway.
The Turning Point — Fire in the Sky
On lap 53, as Jay Howard lost control exiting Turn 1, his car bounced off the wall and rolled down into the path of Scott Dixon, who was closing at 220 mph.
Dixon’s car launched off Howard’s left front wheel, spiraling into the air in a violent, fiery crash — disintegrating against the catch fence before flipping upside down in Turn 2.
Miraculously, Dixon climbed out uninjured. The red flag flew as debris littered the frontstretch, and the crowd exhaled collectively in relief.
The incident underscored both the danger and the resilience of modern IndyCar engineering — the DW12’s safety cell having saved Dixon from disaster.
After the restart, the rhythm returned — but the race’s complexion had changed.
As the sun beat down, the track grew slick, and the Honda turbo units began failing one by one.
Among those struck: Ryan Hunter-Reay, Charlie Kimball, and heartbreakingly, Fernando Alonso, whose engine expired on lap 179 while running in seventh.
His race over, Alonso waved to the crowd as he climbed from the car — greeted with a standing ovation for his audacious effort.
But the drama was far from finished.
The Final Laps — Redemption Realized
The final 15 laps distilled everything Indy stands for: speed, strategy, and sheer nerve.
Max Chilton, Dixon’s young British teammate, surprisingly led late after clever pit timing.
Behind him, Castroneves, hungry for his fourth win, began slicing through traffic, his Penske Chevrolet rocketing around the outside of cars in Turn 1 like a man possessed.
Takuma Sato, meanwhile, had been patient all afternoon — hovering near the top five, saving fuel and tires, never forcing the issue.
With 10 laps to go, he went on the attack.
Sato passed Josef Newgarden and Ed Jones, then drew up behind Castroneves with five laps remaining.
Into Turn 1 on lap 195, he made the decisive move — a clean, clinical dive on the inside, his car perfectly planted.
Castroneves countered, mounting a furious challenge for the remaining laps, drawing even at over 225 mph through Turn 3 with two laps to go.
But Sato refused to lift.
He crossed the finish line 0.2011 seconds ahead, screaming in disbelief as the crowd erupted.
Takuma Sato — the man who had crashed in a last-lap bid five years earlier — was now the first Japanese winner in Indianapolis 500 history.
Aftermath and Legacy
Emotion poured from every corner of the Speedway.
In Victory Lane, Sato stood atop the No. 26 car, fists raised, tears in his eyes.
He bowed to the crowd and said through the milk and confetti:
“No attack, no chance — that’s what I said in 2012, and that’s how I live. Today, I made it happen.”
His win carried enormous symbolic weight:
For Japan, it was a national triumph, celebrated across Tokyo with public watch parties.
For Andretti Autosport, it was their fifth Indianapolis 500 victory in 12 years.
For Hélio Castroneves, it was another near miss — his third runner-up finish, yet another masterclass drive.
Behind them, Ed Jones, the Emirati-British rookie, stunned the paddock by finishing third, while Max Chilton and Tony Kanaan rounded out the top five.
The race saw 35 lead changes among 15 drivers, a testament to balance between the Honda and Chevrolet packages.
Reflections
The 2017 Indianapolis 500 was the perfect blend of redemption, respect, and global resonance.
It crowned a man who embodied the Indy spirit — one who had fallen short in heartbreak before but dared to try again.
Takuma Sato’s journey from near-miss to champion was more than a sporting achievement; it was a story of human persistence.
As Michael Andretti later said:
“Nobody deserved this more. After 2012, most guys would never go for it again. But that’s not Takuma. He went for it — and this time, it stuck.”
For the fans, it was unforgettable — the roar, the drama, the poetic symmetry.
Five years earlier, the wall had stopped him. In 2017, nothing could.
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2017 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “Redemption for the Brave: Takuma Sato and the 2017 Indianapolis 500” (May 2117 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, May 28–30, 2017 — Race-day coverage, Sato and Castroneves interviews
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 119, No. 2 (2081) — “No Attack, No Chance: Sato’s Triumph and the Global Indy 500”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12-Honda telemetry data and aero analysis (2017)
IndyCar Yearbook 2017 — Lap charts, pit strategy breakdowns, and official results
2018 Indianapolis 500 — Power and Precision
Date: May 27, 2018
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 78 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Will Power — Team Penske Dallara DW12 Chevrolet
Average Speed: 166.935 mph
Margin of Victory: 3.1589 seconds
Prelude to the One-Hundred-Second Running
The 2018 Indianapolis 500 marked the beginning of a new era in IndyCar aerodynamics.
Gone were the elaborate manufacturer-specific aero kits of 2015–2017 — replaced by the Universal Aero Kit (UAK18), a return to cleaner lines and reduced downforce reminiscent of classic Indy shapes.
The change was both nostalgic and necessary. Drivers praised the new car’s balance and simplicity, though it demanded absolute precision at the limit.
The result: a race where pure driver skill, pit work, and tire management mattered more than ever.
For Team Penske, 2018 represented a full-circle moment.
The team had struggled with Honda’s superiority in 2017 but entered this year rejuvenated, armed with the new Chevrolet-powered UAK18 and four proven contenders:
Will Power, the methodical Aussie seeking his first 500 win.
Josef Newgarden, the reigning IndyCar champion.
Simon Pagenaud, the 2016 series champion.
Helio Castroneves, chasing an unprecedented fourth Indy 500 victory.
Meanwhile, Andretti Autosport, fresh off Takuma Sato’s 2017 win, fielded a five-car Honda armada — including Marco Andretti, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and rookie Zach Veach.
Add to that Ed Carpenter Racing’s potent Chevrolet lineup — with Carpenter himself taking pole — and the stage was set for a strategic showdown rather than a drafting duel.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
Ed Carpenter — Pole — Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet — 229.618 mph
Simon Pagenaud — Team Penske Chevrolet — 2nd
Will Power — Team Penske Chevrolet — 3rd
Josef Newgarden — 4th — Team Penske Chevrolet
Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon, Alexander Rossi, and Helio Castroneves — all within the top ten
The UAK18 cars were sleeker and faster in clean air but more difficult to follow in traffic — meaning that track position and pit stop execution would determine the outcome far more than slipstreaming.
Race Day
Sunday, May 27, 2018.
A blistering 91°F blanketed the Speedway — one of the hottest Indy 500s in modern history.
Engines strained, tires blistered, and drivers sweated as the 33-car field thundered into Turn 1 under clear blue skies.
Ed Carpenter, in his own car, led from pole, controlling the early laps with commanding pace.
Will Power and Simon Pagenaud slotted in behind, forming a three-car Penske train at the front of the field.
The first half of the race unfolded like clockwork: methodical, fast, and attritional.
Danica Patrick, in her final Indy 500 appearance, crashed out on lap 68.
Helio Castroneves’s bid for a fourth win ended on lap 146, spinning and hitting the wall exiting Turn 4.
Tony Kanaan, another favorite, suffered a puncture and later spun on lap 189.
Through it all, Power stayed quietly in contention, his No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet circulating with clinical consistency.
By the final quarter, the race became a test of pit strategy — with Carpenter, Power, and Scott Dixon on varying fuel plans.
The Turning Point — Timing and Trust
With 12 laps to go, the complexion of the race changed dramatically.
A caution for Tony Kanaan’s spin brought the leaders to pit lane for the final time.
Most of the front-runners — including Will Power and Ed Carpenter — took fresh fuel and tires.
But several others, notably Oriol Servia, Stefan Wilson, and Jack Harvey, gambled on fuel mileage, choosing to stay out and inherit the lead.
As the laps ticked down, the question became one of simple math:
Could the gamblers make it to the finish, or would Power — now fourth but fully fueled — catch them in time?
With four laps to go, the answer came.
Wilson and Harvey ran dry almost simultaneously exiting Turn 4, their cars slowing heartbreakingly on the front straight.
Power stormed past them into the lead, the grandstands erupting as the white flag waved.
From there, he never looked back.
Aftermath and Legacy
As Will Power crossed the yard of bricks, he screamed over the radio in disbelief and triumph:
“I can’t believe it! I won the 500, guys! I won it!”
His celebration was raw, unfiltered joy — a decade of frustration released in one cathartic explosion.
After finishing second in 2015, crashing out in 2016, and enduring years of “oval specialist” doubt, Power had finally completed his resume.
It was Team Penske’s 17th Indianapolis 500 victory, and the first for a full-time Australian driver.
Behind Power, Ed Carpenter finished second, his best career result at Indy, while Scott Dixon completed the podium in third.
Alexander Rossi, after a sensational recovery drive from 32nd, finished fourth, and Ryan Hunter-Reay took fifth.
Power led 59 laps, the most of any driver, and the race saw 30 lead changes among 15 drivers — remarkable given the new aerodynamic limitations.
Reflections
The 2018 Indianapolis 500 was a race of mastery rather than chaos — a tactical chess match in punishing conditions.
It rewarded focus, endurance, and mechanical sympathy.
Will Power’s victory marked a profound transformation: from road-course virtuoso to complete driver — one capable of conquering the most demanding oval in the world.
As Roger Penske said afterward:
“Will is the ultimate professional. He didn’t win by luck — he won by precision.”
The moment was also symbolic for the series: a return to simplicity and purity after years of aerodynamic excess.
With the Universal Aero Kit came cleaner racing — and with Power’s win came proof that excellence, not chance, still ruled at Indianapolis.
In Victory Lane, drenched in milk and emotion, Power simply shouted:
“Finally! Finally!”
The man who had spent years chasing perfection at Indy had found it — not in aggression, but in patience and control.
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2018 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “Power and Precision: The 2018 Indianapolis 500” (May 2118 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, May 27–29, 2018 — Race-day coverage, pit strategy breakdowns
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 120, No. 2 (2082) — “Heat and Harmony: The Race That Crowned Will Power”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12-Chevrolet UAK18 data (2018)
IndyCar Yearbook 2018 — Lap charts, pit sequences, and final classification
2019 Indianapolis 500 — The Month of Perfection
Date: May 26, 2019
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 79 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Simon Pagenaud — Team Penske Dallara DW12 Chevrolet
Average Speed: 175.794 mph
Margin of Victory: 0.2086 seconds
Prelude to the One-Hundred-Third Running
The 2019 Indianapolis 500 was the culmination of a narrative that seemed destined for storybook resolution.
It was Roger Penske’s 50th year at the Speedway as a team owner — and Simon Pagenaud, long respected but often overshadowed by teammates like Will Power and Josef Newgarden, entered under pressure.
Rumors swirled that Pagenaud’s seat at Team Penske was in jeopardy; a winless 2018 season had put him on the defensive.
But the Frenchman’s May of 2019 was immaculate.
On May 11, he won the IndyCar Grand Prix on the IMS road course in the rain.
On May 19, he claimed pole position for the 500 with a blistering 229.992 mph average.
And on May 26, he lined up in the center of the front row — cool, focused, and utterly ready.
Team Penske had arrived with clinical precision. The Chevrolet-powered Dallara UAK18s were perfectly trimmed for balance and fuel efficiency, while Andretti Autosport and Chip Ganassi Racing had the Hondas to match on race pace.
Among the challengers:
Alexander Rossi, the 2016 winner, driving with the edge of a man hungry for another;
Ed Carpenter, ever the qualifying ace;
Josef Newgarden and Will Power, both armed with Penske’s relentless discipline;
and Takuma Sato, the reigning hero of Japan.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
Simon Pagenaud — Pole — Team Penske Chevrolet — 229.992 mph
Ed Carpenter — 2nd — Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Spencer Pigot — 3rd — Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Ed Jones, Colton Herta, Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi, Sebastien Bourdais, and Helio Castroneves — all in the top twelve
It was one of the strongest fields of the modern era, with a perfect blend of veterans, champions, and rookies.
The UAK18 configuration remained in effect, emphasizing aerodynamic efficiency and mechanical grip — a driver’s package that favored intelligence over sheer aggression.
Race Day
Sunday, May 26, 2019.
Cool, overcast, and humid — ideal racing conditions for engines and tires alike.
At the green flag, Simon Pagenaud immediately stamped his authority on the race, leading from Turn 1 and setting a steady rhythm.
He would lead 116 of the 200 laps, including the opening 32 consecutively — the mark of a driver in total harmony with car and circuit.
Ed Carpenter and Josef Newgarden stayed close early, while Alexander Rossi, starting fifth, bided his time.
The race ran clean through the first 50 laps, with pit strategies unfolding like a chess match between Penske and Andretti.
By halfway, Pagenaud, Rossi, and Takuma Sato had emerged as the class of the field.
Sato ran an alternate fuel strategy, while Rossi fought frustration in pit lane — on lap 137, a refueling malfunction cost him nearly 20 seconds and left him fuming on the radio.
But what followed would turn that anger into brilliance.
The Turning Point — The Duel for the Ages
With 20 laps to go, a caution for Graham Rahal and Sébastien Bourdais’ crash reset the field, bringing the top contenders nose-to-tail for a sprint to the finish.
The restart ignited one of the fiercest closing battles in modern Indy 500 history.
Pagenaud led into Turn 1, but Rossi — running a slightly higher-downforce setup — could draft more effectively down the straights.
On lap 197, Rossi blasted past Pagenaud into Turn 1, the two cars separated by mere inches at over 225 mph.
Pagenaud countered immediately, diving back under Rossi through Turn 3 to retake the lead.
For the next two laps, they swapped positions like prizefighters trading blows — each using the draft, the overtake button, and every inch of racetrack.
On the final lap, Rossi made his last attack down the front straight, pulling alongside Pagenaud entering Turn 1.
But Pagenaud, with an iron grip on the inside line, held firm.
He defended again in Turn 3, using every ounce of downforce the Chevrolet could summon, and emerged onto the front straight with a car length in hand.
He crossed the line 0.2086 seconds ahead — victory by a breath.
Aftermath and Legacy
As Simon Pagenaud crossed the yard of bricks, his scream over the radio was half laughter, half disbelief:
“Oh my God — yes! We did it! We did it!”
It was a triumph not just of speed but of story.
Pagenaud had silenced every doubt, delivering Team Penske’s 18th Indianapolis 500 win — and gifting Roger Penske the perfect golden anniversary present.
Behind him, Alexander Rossi finished second, the fire in his eyes undimmed despite heartbreak.
Takuma Sato, ever relentless, charged from deep in the pack to finish third, ahead of Josef Newgarden and Will Power.
The race featured 29 official lead changes among 10 drivers, yet the man who started first also finished first — the mark of true dominance.
Pagenaud became the first French winner of the Indianapolis 500 since René Thomas in 1914, ending a 105-year drought.
He also became only the second driver in history (after Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000) to lead both the opening and final laps of the race.
In Victory Lane, as he drank the milk and pointed skyward, Pagenaud dedicated the moment to his team:
“This is the biggest day of my life. For Roger, for France, for everyone who believed — merci.”
Reflections
The 2019 Indianapolis 500 was a showcase of complete mastery — mechanical, mental, and emotional.
It encapsulated everything the Speedway rewards: precision, patience, and passion.
Pagenaud’s drive wasn’t just fast — it was flawless.
From the first lap to the last, he executed with metronomic control, and when challenged, he fought like a champion.
The duel with Rossi joined the pantheon of Indianapolis classics — a modern echo of Unser vs. Mears (1989) and Castroneves vs. Hunter-Reay (2014).
And fittingly, it came in Roger Penske’s 50th year at the Speedway — a perfect tribute to half a century of excellence.
As Penske himself said afterward:
“We’ve won a lot of races, but this one — this one’s special. Simon drove the race of his life.”
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2019 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “The Month of Perfection: Simon Pagenaud’s 2019 Indianapolis 500” (May 2119 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, May 26–28, 2019 — Race-day coverage and interviews with Pagenaud and Rossi
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 121, No. 2 (2083) — “Fifty Years of Penske: The Frenchman’s Perfect May”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12-Chevrolet UAK18 performance data (2019)
IndyCar Yearbook 2019 — Lap charts, pit sequences, and closing battle telemetry
2020 Indianapolis 500 — Silence and Sato
Date: August 23, 2020
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 75 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Takuma Sato — Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara DW12 Honda
Average Speed: 157.824 mph
Margin of Victory: Under caution
Prelude to the One-Hundred-Fourth Running
The 2020 Indianapolis 500 was unlike any other.
For the first time in its history, the race was postponed from May to August, the grandstands empty by public-health order.
The Speedway — normally packed with 300,000 fans, bands, and the roar of tradition — stood silent.
Teams, crews, and media operated under strict protocols: masks, testing, and closed paddocks.
Yet even in this strange new world, the race carried a sense of defiant normalcy — proof that, somehow, the Indianapolis 500 would endure.
Honda and Chevrolet entered on relatively equal footing, though Honda held a slight edge in fuel mileage and drivability.
Scott Dixon, already a five-time series champion, dominated the early season and was the clear favorite.
Takuma Sato, driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLLR), entered as an outsider but with quiet confidence — he had been fast all month, and the Rahal team’s race-day setups were always formidable.
Meanwhile, this was the first Indy 500 under Roger Penske’s ownership of the Speedway.
Although no fans could attend, Penske ensured the broadcast presentation retained its grandeur: the yard of bricks freshly painted, tributes to healthcare workers, and the quiet dignity of an event surviving through adversity.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
Marco Andretti — Pole — Andretti Autosport Honda — 231.068 mph (first Andretti on pole since 1987)
Scott Dixon — Chip Ganassi Racing Honda — 2nd
Takuma Sato — RLLR Honda — 3rd
Rinus VeeKay, Ryan Hunter-Reay, James Hinchcliffe, Alexander Rossi, Graham Rahal, Colton Herta, and Josef Newgarden — top ten
The UAK18 chassis carried minor 2020 updates, but the cars were otherwise identical to 2019 — a stable, familiar platform.
Temperatures hovered around 85 °F, air humid and still — conditions that favored Honda’s cooling efficiency.
Race Day
When the command to start engines came, there was no thunderous crowd — only the echo of 33 cars firing to life beneath empty grandstands.
The symbolism was haunting, but the spirit was intact.
Marco Andretti led the field to green, but Scott Dixon wasted no time taking control.
Within three laps, Dixon had surged into the lead, setting a blistering pace and leading almost unchallenged through the first half of the race.
He appeared untouchable — calm, efficient, and precise.
Behind him, Sato and Rahal ran quietly in the top five, saving fuel and keeping their Hondas cool in traffic.
Alexander Rossi also looked strong until a pit-lane speeding penalty on lap 123 derailed his charge, followed by a crash a few laps later that ended his day.
As the final 50 laps approached, only three drivers remained legitimate contenders: Dixon, Sato, and Graham Rahal.
The Turning Point — Fuel and Fire
At lap 173, the leaders made their final pit stops under green.
Dixon’s Ganassi crew executed flawlessly, maintaining a slim advantage, but the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team rolled the dice — Sato’s car was trimmed for efficiency, and he was told to run lean and attack when needed.
Ten laps later, Sato struck.
He drafted up to Dixon on the front straight, dove low into Turn 1, and seized the lead with 27 laps to go.
Dixon countered relentlessly, closing to within tenths, the two swapping the lead several times as they navigated lapped traffic.
Then, with five laps remaining, disaster erupted behind them: Spencer Pigot spun exiting Turn 4 and slammed hard into the pit-lane attenuator, scattering debris across the entry road.
The yellow flag waved immediately.
Given the severity of the crash and limited laps remaining, race control kept the race under caution to the finish.
Under yellow, Takuma Sato led Scott Dixon and Graham Rahal across the line to claim his second Indianapolis 500 victory — an anticlimactic finish to an extraordinary race, but one no less deserved.
Aftermath and Legacy
The checkered flag fell in silence, without the usual roar of the crowd — only the hum of engines cooling down in front of empty grandstands.
Yet for Sato and his team, the emotion was overwhelming.
In Victory Lane, surrounded only by crew and cameras, he bowed to the car and said:
“This means everything. We all fight through tough times — today, we proved we can still dream.”
Sato joined an elite group of multiple winners, becoming the 20th driver in history to win the Indianapolis 500 more than once.
He also gave Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing its second 500 victory, matching Bobby Rahal’s 1986 triumph.
Behind Sato, Scott Dixon finished second, having led 111 laps — more than half the race.
Graham Rahal completed the podium, ensuring two RLL cars in the top three.
Santino Ferrucci and Josef Newgarden rounded out the top five.
It was Honda’s second consecutive win and fifth in seven years, cementing their engine supremacy during the hybrid-free era.
While fans debated whether the race should have been restarted, most agreed that Sato’s execution — flawless pit timing, brave overtakes, and perfect fuel management — made him a worthy victor.
Reflections
The 2020 Indianapolis 500 was the race that defined endurance — not just mechanical, but human.
In a year when the world stood still, the Speedway stood as a reminder that tradition could adapt and survive.
The silence of the empty grandstands amplified the emotion; every lap felt intimate, every pit call magnified.
When the Japanese anthem played for Sato, the sound carried across the vast emptiness — a quiet, powerful symbol of perseverance.
Scott Dixon’s loss, by circumstance rather than performance, added melancholy to the moment, but even he conceded afterward:
“Sato was flawless. He put himself in the right place at the right time. That’s Indy.”
For Roger Penske, it was a bittersweet debut as track owner — no fans, but a race completed safely and successfully against all odds.
It proved that even in the most uncertain times, the Indianapolis 500 would endure — not through spectacle, but through spirit.
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2020 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “Silence and Sato: The 2020 Indianapolis 500” (May 2120 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, Aug 23–25, 2020 — Race-day coverage and team interviews
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 122, No. 2 (2084) — “The Quiet 500: Courage in Isolation”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12-Honda aero and fuel efficiency data (2020)
IndyCar Yearbook 2020 — Lap charts, pit summaries, and post-race analysis
2021 Indianapolis 500 — The People’s Champion
Date: May 30, 2021
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mi asphalt oval)
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Entries: 78 starters (33 qualified)
Winner: Hélio Castroneves — Meyer Shank Racing Dallara DW12 Honda
Average Speed: 190.690 mph (a new race record)
Margin of Victory: 0.493 seconds
Prelude to the One-Hundred-Fifth Running
The 2021 Indianapolis 500 carried immense emotional weight.
It was the first since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to welcome fans back — 135,000 of them, the largest crowd at any sporting event in the world since 2019.
The return of human sound — applause, chants, gasps — restored what had been missing the year before.
The field itself was as competitive as ever. The UAK18 chassis remained the standard, paired with further refined Honda and Chevrolet engines that now pushed beyond 700 horsepower.
And for the first time in over two decades, Hélio Castroneves — the beloved Brazilian known as “Spider-Man” for his fence-climbing celebrations — entered not as a Team Penske driver.
At age 46, he had been released from Penske’s full-time IndyCar roster and found refuge with Meyer Shank Racing, a small but ambitious outfit partnered with Andretti Technologies and Honda.
Castroneves’s teammate for the month was Jack Harvey; together, they represented the ultimate underdogs against powerhouses like Ganassi, Penske, and Andretti Autosport.
Meanwhile, youth was on the march:
Alex Palou, the 24-year-old Spaniard newly signed by Chip Ganassi Racing, was dazzlingly quick.
Pato O’Ward, Colton Herta, and Rinus VeeKay carried the banner for IndyCar’s next generation.
Scott Dixon, ever the metronome, started from pole for the fourth time and remained the heavy favorite.
The Field and the Machines
Key Starters
Scott Dixon — Pole — Chip Ganassi Racing Honda — 231.685 mph
Colton Herta — Andretti Autosport Honda — 2nd
Rinus VeeKay — Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet — 3rd
Hélio Castroneves — Meyer Shank Racing Honda — 8th
Alex Palou, Pato O’Ward, Ed Carpenter, and Tony Kanaan — all strong inside the top ten
The stage was set for a fascinating generational clash: Dixon’s dominance, Palou’s rise, and Castroneves’s resilience.
Little did anyone know that the oldest contender in the field would teach everyone a masterclass in experience.
Race Day
Sunday, May 30, 2021.
The morning sun burned through a cloudless Indiana sky as “Back Home Again in Indiana” returned to its rightful stage — met with tears and applause from a half-filled but full-hearted crowd.
When the green flag dropped, Scott Dixon and Colton Herta led the charge, but the race immediately turned strategic.
On lap 36, a caution for Stefan Wilson’s spin triggered a wave of pit stops — and a nightmare for both Ganassi cars.
A fueling issue left Dixon stranded with an empty tank under yellow, dropping him to the tail of the field. His teammate Alexander Palou inherited the team’s hopes.
From there, Rinus VeeKay, Herta, O’Ward, and Palou traded the lead through the middle stints, while Castroneves quietly hovered in the top ten — never dramatic, always efficient.
As the race neared its final 50 laps, it was clear that fuel economy and traffic management would decide the outcome.
Honda engines held a slight edge in mileage, and Castroneves’s smooth throttle application gave him a crucial advantage in the closing laps.
The Turning Point — Experience vs. Youth
With 25 laps to go, the race distilled into a duel: Alex Palou, the rising star, versus Hélio Castroneves, the veteran chasing immortality.
Palou had taken the lead after the final round of stops, but Castroneves stalked him relentlessly — timing his runs perfectly, reading traffic like an artist reading brushstrokes.
At lap 193, Castroneves pulled ahead in Turn 1 using a perfectly executed draft pass.
Palou countered immediately two laps later, reclaiming the top spot.
They continued to swap positions as they sliced through lapped traffic — Ryan Hunter-Reay, Sage Karam, and Felix Rosenqvist all unwilling pawns in their masterpiece of precision.
The crowd — 135,000 strong — rose to its feet.
With two laps to go, Castroneves made his decisive move, using the slipstream of lapped traffic on the front stretch to sling past Palou one final time.
Through Turns 3 and 4 on the final lap, he danced through traffic, perfectly positioning his car to deny Palou a final run to the line.
He crossed the yard of bricks 0.493 seconds ahead, arms raised, voice cracking with joy.
Aftermath and Legacy
The grandstands erupted.
The sound — absent for 15 months — returned in a tidal wave of catharsis.
Hélio Castroneves became the fourth four-time Indianapolis 500 winner in history, joining legends A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., and Rick Mears.
He also became the oldest winner since Al Unser Sr. in 1987, and the first driver in the event’s modern era to win with a non-Penske team after leaving the powerhouse.
The image of Castroneves climbing the fence — mask half-torn off, fans roaring beneath him — became one of the defining sporting moments of the post-pandemic recovery.
Behind him, Alex Palou finished second, earning immense respect for his composure and speed.
Simon Pagenaud charged from 26th to third, while Pato O’Ward and Ed Carpenter completed the top five.
The race ran nearly entirely under green, producing a record average speed of 190.690 mph, making it the fastest Indianapolis 500 ever run.
In Victory Lane, Castroneves wept as he hugged his crew:
“I still got it! I still got it, man! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Roger Penske, now the track’s owner, smiled as he joined in the celebration — poetic symmetry between old rivals and shared history.
Reflections
The 2021 Indianapolis 500 was a race of rebirth — not only for the Speedway, but for the people who fill it.
It was a moment of unity and joy after isolation, a race that reminded everyone why this event endures beyond sport.
Castroneves’s victory transcended numbers. It wasn’t just about tying records — it was about reconnecting generations, showing that the fire to compete never fades.
His duel with Palou symbolized the passing of the torch from one era to the next — yet, for one perfect afternoon, time stood still.
As dusk fell and the track grew quiet again, the words of commentator Leigh Diffey summed it up best:
“The crowd is back, the magic is back, and Helio is back on the fence. Welcome home, Indianapolis.”
Sources
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives — Official Records of the 2021 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes (IMS Heritage Collection)
Motorsport Magazine Archive — “The People’s Champion: Castroneves and the 2021 Indianapolis 500” (May 2121 Centennial Feature)
The Indianapolis Star, May 30–June 1, 2021 — Race-day coverage and crowd reactions
Automobile Quarterly, Vol. 123, No. 2 (2085) — “Helio the Hero: The Race That Healed the Speedway”
Smithsonian Institution — Transportation Collections: Dallara DW12-Honda UAK18 data and telemetry analysis (2021)
IndyCar Yearbook 2021 — Lap charts, pit strategies, and timing reports