Final practice, air demonstrations and music acts round out schedule Friday, May 24 at IMS. Read More>
Two departure times provide more flexibility for fans who want to commute to the track on their bike on Race Day. Read More>
This partnership represents the first time a major athlete's sponsorship has been decided by a vote using blockchain technology. Read More>
View images from the shortened first day of the Indianapolis 500 Open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. View Photos>
View images from the once-in-a-lifetime Total Solar Eclipse event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. View Photos>
Josef Newgarden unveils the 2024 Indianapolis 500 Ticket View Photos>
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway prides itself on its fire rescue and medical response teams that arrive to the scene of an accident within seconds. But how do they get that good? On Behind the Bricks, IMS President Doug Boles takes you through the annual Motorsports Safety Training at IMS, which features specific training scenarios for INDYCAR, NASCAR, IMSA and more to make sure every driver at IMS is safe. Watch Video>
On this episode of Doug and Drivers, 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson sits down with Doug Boles to talk about the pain of coming so close to scoring back-to-back wins, how he wanted to compete on ovals after his Formula 1 career and the transition to Andretti Global. Watch Video>
Why does Scott McLaughlin move his hands around so much in the car? What "button" is he pushing? What's the pressure of the iconic Yellow Submarine like? We cover that and so much more with Scott McLaughlin on the latest Doug and Drivers. Watch Video>
September 21, 2017 | By Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Josef Newgarden admits winning the Verizon IndyCar Series championship didn’t sink in immediately after finishing second in the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Sept. 17. That result delivered Newgarden his first IndyCar championship in his initial season with Team Penske, prevailing by 13 points over teammate Simon Pagenaud. Still, the pinch-me moment came a few minutes later, when he climbed from his No. 2 hum by Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet and was surrounded by media, teammates and family. “When we crossed the finish line at Sonoma, I knew we had gotten it done,” Newgarden said. “We had talked about it on the radio. It wasn’t in that moment. It wasn’t until I got interviewed and I got out of the car, saw my family. “You think about all of the work that goes in and all the effort goes in, that’s when it really hit me. I wanted to start bawling like a baby at that point. But I tried to hold everything back and make sure I got through the interview.” Newgarden encountered another surreal championship moment Thursday when he visited the lobby of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Administration Building, expecting to conduct a few media interviews. Instead, he was surprised by seeing the media -- and nearly the entire IMS staff -- in the lobby to honor his title. That celebration reminded Newgarden of the place he wants to enjoy his next life-changing moment – Victory Circle at IMS on Sunday, May 27, 2018 after winning the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. Winning at Indy isn’t a hopeful ambition for Team Penske. It’s an expectation for drivers for the most successful team in North American open-wheel racing history. The “500” is the race team owner Roger Penske circles on his calendar in thicker ink than any other, as his team has won “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” a record 16 times. “It’s what built Team Penske’s legacy,” Newgarden said. “Driving for Roger, that’s what he wants to win. As drivers, it’s the one we want to win, too. It’s the hardest race to win. “You only get one shot per year. We’re going to put that as our primary goal again next year and hope we get that one, too.” Newgarden and all drivers in the field next May will face an additional variable, the sleek new aero kit that drew raves from fans, media and drivers during testing this summer. The universal kit contains additional safety enhancements and is intended to deliver even greater on-track racing since most of the aerodynamic downforce will be generated from underneath the car. That will create less air turbulence for trailing cars, allowing for more overtaking opportunities. A deep pool of resources and the experience of team owner Penske, team president Tim Cindric and the veteran Penske crew should help Newgarden and his teammates quickly unlock the secrets of speed for the new body kits next May at IMS. The new aero kit also resembles the sleek rockets that raced at Indy in the 1980s and early 1990s. So it also doesn’t hurt Newgarden to be within arm’s reach of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner and Team Penske adviser Rick Mears, who ruled that era at the Brickyard. “Roger has his hand on the pulse all the time,” Newgarden said. “He knows what’s going on. He’s going to give you what you need if you don’t have it. “Any new variables, we’re pretty good at sorting through them quickly. I hope that’s what we’re able to do. If we do that, that should give us a good shot at potentially winning the race. “I’m excited for it. I’m a little bit anxious, a little bit nervous. But that’s all good stuff. Having a new car, everyone – including the fans – is looking forward to that.” Visit IMS.com for more information about the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.