The Indianapolis 500 is as much a part of the Memorial Day weekend as BBQ’s and remembering fallen military members.

This year to help celebrate the 105th Indianapolis 500 the fans return to the track with 135,000 enthusiastic race fans ready to cheer on the 33 drivers in the field. This becomes the event that has hosted the largest number of fans anywhere in the world since the outbreak of the pandemic.

This year the drivers represent 15 countries and includes some familiar names like Andretti, Fitipaldi, Herta, and Rahal.

In the middle of the first row, at 20 years old, Dutch driver Rinus VeeKay is the youngest driver to ever start the race from th front row.

The only female driver in the race, Simone De Silvestro is making history with a crew of predominantly women, including the over the wall crew.

The excitement began even before the drop of the green flag when Will Power had issues with getting his car started. After having his car pushed to pit road and restarted, he joins the field in his starting spot in the last row.

Scott Dixon brings the field to the green flag but it doesn’t take long for young guns Colton Herta and Rinus VeeKay to take the lead.

By lap six, Will Power had advanced seven positions to 25th after having some start issues before the beginning of the race.

Once Rinus VeeKay took the lead, he held on to the spot until he made his first of several pit stops for the day on lap 31.

Ed Carpenter’s car gets stalled on pit road but the crew gets it going again.

Coming down pit road, Stefan Wilson comes in too hot, locks up his tires, and hits the wall bringing out the first caution flag of the race on lap 34. The front end of Wilson’s car is destroyed and he becomes the first car out of the race.

Scott Dixon had to make an emergency stop on pit road for fuel. Coming down pit road, Dixon runs out of fuel and the car stalls out. It took several minutes and attempts to get the car going once again. As a result, Dixon is now one lap down.

Alexander Rossi also had to make an emergency stop for fuel and stalled out his car. Rossi also ended up one lap down due to a stalled engine.

Unlike NASCAR, IndyCar has no “lucky dog” giving a driver his lap back. They must drive their way back to the lead lap.

Stefan Wilson reports that he had no brakes at the time of his crash.

Twenty one year old Coltn Herta brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 47 and takes the lead.

A quarter of the way through the race on lap 50, Rinus VeeKay retakes the lead briefly before Conor Daly takes the lead to rousing cheers form the crowd.

Lap 69, the drivers begin a new round of pit stops when Rinus VeeKay comes down pit road. Lap 71, leader Conor Daly makes his pit stop.

Lap 100, halfway, Conor Daly leads the Indianapolis 500 in front of a hometown crowd driving a car with a U.S. Air Force paint scheme.

Lap 103, the third round of pit stops begins.

Scott McLaughlin was caught speeding on pit road after locking up the wheels in an attempt to get slowed down for his pit stop.

Lap 118, Graham Rahal gives up the lead to make his pit stop. Coming off of pit road after his pit stop the left rear wheel on Rahal’s car comes off and sends Rahal into the wall right in front of the leaders. Rahal becomes the second driver out of the race. A very frustrated Rahal climbed out of his car unhurt. Conor Daly drop kicked the errant tire when it passed in front of him.

Scott Dixon is back on the lead lap.

Alex Palou brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 125 but looking for his fourth Indy 500 win, Helio Castroneves takes the lead.

Pato O’Ward takes the lead.

Graham Rahal apologizes to his sponsors and partners saying that he is sorry they didn’t win…but they should have.

Alex Palou takes the lead on 132.

Conor Daly reports an understeer issue after hitting the tire form Graham Rahal’s car.

Helio Castroneves is the leader; he makes his pit stop on lap 151. Drivers make their pit stops. Takuma Sato is the new leader.

Will Power gets turned around on pit road and stops backwards in Simon Pagenaud’s pit stall. Reports are that the brakes on Power’s car were gone.

Lap 160, for the first time since the start of the race, Scott Dixon leads the race.

Lap 162, Scott Dixon makes his pit stop and gives the lead over to Alex Palou.

Lap 170, Helio Castroneves takes the lead.

Simone Silvestro gets turned around on pit road. The crew pushes the car to her pit stop at the beginning of pit road.

Lap 174, drivers begin their final cycle of pit stops.

Simon Pagenaud is the leader.

Lap 179, Sage Kazam takes the lead.

Lap 179, Santino Ferrucci takes the lead.

Lap 185, Felix Rosenqvist leads the race

Lap 190, 10 to go, Felix Rosenqvist leads the race with the 2020 winner Takuma Sato in second; Alex Palou, Helio Castroneves, and Pao O’Ward round out the top five.

Felix Rosenqvist makes a pit stop, Takuma Sato takes the lead with Helio Castroneves right behind him.

Takuma Sato makes a pit stop, Helio Castroneves takes the lead with six laps remaining in the race.

Five to go, Alex Palou takes the lead.

Felix Rosenqvist was caught speeding on pit road and has to serve a pass through penalty.

Two to go, Helio Castroneves takes the lead.

Leaders encounter lapped traffic.

Helio Castroneves takes the white flag.

With rousing cheers in the background, Helio Castroneves wins his fourth Indianapolis 500! At 46 years old Castroneves joins his team in climbing the fence. He and his car owner share a Helio cannot take two steps with someone stopping him for a hug.

This was the fastest Indy 500 in the sports history. The race also set a record for the lowest number of caution flags with two.

With Helio standing on the wall, the crowd is yelling Helio!

More than just a fan of IndyCar, Helio Castroneves took home the Mirrorball trophy back in season five of “Dacing with the Stars”. Earlier this year he was a part of the winning team at the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Helio Castroneves joins AJ Foyt, Rick Mears, and Al Unser Sr as a four time Indy 500 winner.

After racing on the track, Castroneves runs down the front stretch as fans cheer. More hugs, this time from his fellow drivers. Will Power calls Helio a legend. And a hug from Mario himself.

And Helio finally kisses the bricks and congratulations from tack owners and officials.

Track officials finally get Helio to his car for the ride to victory lane. In victory lane, Helio gets a hug from Roger Penske…and many others before the Brazilian gets to take in the sweet taste of the milk and don the wreath of victory.

Results of the 105th annual Indianapolis 500:
Helio Castroneves
Alex Palou
Simon Pagenaud
Pato O’Ward
Ed Carpenter
Santino Ferrucci
Sage Karam
Rinus VeeKay
Juan Pablo Montoya
Tony Kanaan
Marcuh Ericsson
Josef Newgarden
Conor Daly
Takuma Sato
JR Hildebrand
Colton Herta
Scott Dixon
Jack Harvey
Marco Andretti
Scott McLaughlin
James Hinchcliffe
Ryan Hunter-Reay
Dalton Keller
Max Chilton
Pietro Fitipaldi
Sebastien Bourdais
Felix Rosenqvist
Ed Jones
Alexander Rossi
Will Power
Simone De Silvestro
Graham Rahal
Stefan Wilson