For the IndyCar racers, May is a month of nerves and anticipation as they prepare for the biggest race of the season – the Indianapolis 500 and a chance to drink the bottle of milk in Victory Circle.
May 25, 2025 brings the 109th running of the Indy 500 and once again the start of the race was delayed by rain. When the 33 drivers took to the track, the track temperature was just 72 degrees with an air temperature of 63; the coolest in many years.
This year a number of drivers are looking to make history with Josef Newgarden hoping for a three-peat to become the first driver to win three races in a row. Helio Castroneves is looking to be the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 five times. And NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson is making his second attempt at “doing the double” – running both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. Last year’s attempt was thwarted by prodigious rain storms in both Indianapolis and Charlotte. Larson would be the fifth driver to successfully make laps in both races but Tony Stewart is the only driver to complete all 1,100 laps of both races.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway had a packed house of 350,000 fans – the first sell out in 10 years!
The start of the race was delayed by rain.
NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan drove the pace car. Fitted out in a two person car, seven time NASCAR champion driver gave seven time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady “a fast lap” around the track.
During the pace laps, two military helicopters followed overhead.
While still on the pace laps, Scott McLaughlin was working to warm up his tires when he hit the wall. After climbing out of the car, McLaughlin was hunched in the grass with this head in his hands devastated.
Scott Dixon had some flames coming from his rear wheels when the brakes got too hot, but he kept it on the track and got the tires cooled down.
During the pace laps after McLaughlin’s wreck, it began sprinkling and laps began counting despite no green flag.
Right after the green flag dropped, Marco Andretti and Marcus Armstrong wrecked knocking Andretti out of the race after some contact from Jack Harvey. There has not been an Andretti Indy 500 winner since Mario won the race in 1969.
The caution flag comes out once again for rain on lap 19.
Chaos ensued as drivers came down pit road with Kyle Larson having a slow stop. Scott Dixon came down pit road for a brake caliper change and put his three laps down.
Reporting a no speed, Graham Rahal falls through the field.
Working his way through the field after starting the race from the back of the field reported a vibration.
Colton Herta was caught speeding on pit road and had to serve a passthrough penalty; putting him a lap down.
Smoking on the track, Alexander Rossie comes down pit road and the car caught on fire dousing car and crew members. Mike the car fueler got caught in the fire trying to help put out the flames. He told the crew that he was okay but was taken to the medical facility anyway. Rossi reported that the fire was the result of a gear box issue; adding that Mike the fueler is fine.
On Lap 79, after starting from the back of the field, Josef Newgarden has reached the top 10.
Vinus VeeKay spins out coming down pit road and craqshes, reporting that he had no brakes. VeeKay is out of the race.
During the caution flag, rookie driver and pole sitter Robert Shwartzman comes in hot hitting the wall and some of his crew members. The car fueler was taken to the medica facility with complaints of his foot hurting. Shwartzman is out of the race.
During a downshift, Kyle Larson spins out on lap 91 and gets into a wreck involving Sting Ray Robb and Kyffin Simpson. Larson is out of the race after hitting the wall. While Larson will start both the 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, Tony Stewart is still the only driver to complete all 1,100 laps in both races.
Lap 100, halfway, Ryan Hunter-Reay leads the race under caution. During car day, Hunter-Reay’s car caught fire and was destroyed. The crew worked through the night rebuilding the backup car for the race.
Lap 106, the race goes green and Christian Rasmussen brings out the caution flag when he spins out.
Drivers make another pit stops.
As the race goes green on lap 110, Kyle Larson’s helicopter lifts off headed for the airport and a trip to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Lap 126, Josef Newgarden has advanced 25 spots from his starting spot of 32nd to seventh. But just nine laps later on lap 135, Newgarden reports a fuel pressure issues and spends an extended time on pit road before being reported out of the race.
With 50 laps to go, Ryan Hunter-Reay leads the race. It has been eleven years since he last took the checkered flag at Indianapolis.
Jack Harvey was caught speeding on pit road and has to serve a passthrough penalty, putting him a lap down.
During his pit stop, Ryan Hunter-Reay stalls his car on pit road and is out of the race
With 25 laps to go, Marcus Ericsson leads the race.
Ten to go, Alex Palou has passed Ericsson for the lead. A three time champion, he has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Alex Palou takes the white flag
Born in Barcelona, Alex Palou becomes the first Spaniard to win the Indianapolis 500. The caution flag came out just before Palou crossed the finish line.
Results of the Indianapolis 500:
Alex Palou
Marcus Ericsson
David Malukas
Pato O’Ward
Felix Rosenqvist
Kyle Kirkwood
Santino Ferrucci
Christian Rasmussen
Christian Lundgaard
Conor Daly
Takuma Sato
Callum Ilott
Helio Castroneves
Devlin DeFrancesco
Louis Foster
Nolan Siegel
Colton Herta
Ed Carpenter
Will Power
Graham Rahal
Marcus Armstrong
Jack Harvey
Scott Dixon
Ryan Hunter-Reay
Josef Newgarden
Sing Ray Robb
Kyffin Simpson
Ronald Shwartzman
Rinus Veekay
Alexander Rossi
Marco Andretti
Scott McLaughlin