{"id":34160,"date":"2025-05-25T00:26:31","date_gmt":"2025-05-25T04:26:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/?p=34160"},"modified":"2025-05-25T00:29:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T04:29:26","slug":"the-109th-indianapolis-500-preview-predictions-and-how-to-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2025\/05\/25\/the-109th-indianapolis-500-preview-predictions-and-how-to-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"The 109th Indianapolis 500: Preview, Predictions, And How To Watch"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 109th Indianapolis 500 is upon us. Get ready for the most important Sunday of the year with all the essential information you need to know before the green flag drops.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Josef Newgarden during Indianapolis 500 practice, May 20, 2024. Photo by Steve Swope, Penske Entertainment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Round Six: The 109th Indianapolis 500<\/h2>\n

The day we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. The drivers have prepared all month for this very race, aiming to be the one who kisses the bricks, savors the celebratory milk, and joins the historic list of winners of this storied event when the checkered flag is finally waved.<\/p>\n

Who will be this year’s victor? Will it be Josef Newgarden<\/a> for a third straight year, a repeat winner? Or will it be someone completely new? If previous years of the Indy 500 have taught us anything, it’s that anything can unfold at any time, which can dramatically change the outcome, even in the closing moments of the race.<\/p>\n

‘500’ Preview<\/h2>\n

If this race is anything like the past few weeks, we’re in for a real treat. Heading into the month of May, all eyes were laid on Newgarden to see if he could make history and become the first ever driver to win three straight Indy 500s, and it looked promising for a god top 12 start until a Penske scandal<\/a> dropped him and teammate Will Power to the back of the field.<\/p>\n

In turn, it created exciting qualifying sessions highlighted by pole going to rookie driver Robert Shwartzman and first-year IndyCar team Prema Racing with a four-lap average of 232.790 MPH in the Fast Six on Sunday. Joining him on the front row are two-time Indy 500 champion Takuma Sato and last year’s runner-up Pato O’Ward.<\/p>\n

The inexperience from the pole man who is racing in his first ever oval could create some chaos and action early on. With 200 laps to complete, the race will ultimately cover 500 miles, which is the origin of its name.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:\u00a0Robert Shwartzman Becomes First Rookie Indy 500 Pole Sitter in 43 Years<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Track: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway<\/h2>\n

There are a few reasons why the Indy 500 has held up the test of time and despite the changes and development of the Indy cars. One of those reasons is the track, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The track is a 2.500 mi (4.023 km) rectangular oval with dimensions that have remained essentially unchanged since its construction. It has two 0.625 mi (1.006 km) straightaways, four geometrically identical 0.250 mi (0.402 km) turns, connected by two 0.125 mi (0.201 km) short straightaways, termed “short chutes”, between turns 1 and 2, and between turns 3 and 4.<\/p>\n

The layout and length of the race make for an interesting race each year, with countless overtakes and a race strategy that needs everyone on their A-game<\/p>\n

Drivers to Watch<\/h2>\n

Pato O\u2019Ward\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

O\u2019Ward will be coming into this race with some vengeance, especially after last year’s last-lap battle for the win against Newgarden ended with a heartbreaking overtake<\/span><\/p>\n

He\u2019s had two runner-up finishes in the last three years, with four top-six results in five tries. This year, he is starting from third, which is never a bad thing in the 500, considering 14 drivers who started from that place ended up taking the checkered flag in first.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scott McLaughlin\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last year, he proved he may be the new king of ovals. Last year, he led 556 laps on ovals, including 66 of 200 in last year\u2019s 500, though he only ended up finishing sixth. He also had two oval victories at Iowa Speedway and Milwaukee Mile.<\/span><\/p>\n

McLaughlin starting from 11th doesn\u2019t seem like the victory is in his favor, but his skills and success around ovals put him in the conversation to fight for the win, no matter where he starts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Christian Lundgaard\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Dane is more of a sleeper pick compared to the other two drivers mentioned, but he’s still a driver to watch out for. This season has been the best start of his IndyCar career by far. He’s had four top 10s, three of which were podiums; the only misstep he has had was at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.<\/p>\n

He hasn’t had the best results around ovals, but the confidence and comfort he has been showing this season will hopefully translate into a good race starting from the third row in the 109th Indianapolis 500.<\/p>\n

How to Watch<\/h2>\n

Sunday May 25th<\/strong><\/p>\n