Indy 500 has a $4.2 Million Man: Josef Newgarden earns record prize for second consecutive win at Brickyard

INDIANAPOLIS – Josef Newgarden’s second consecutive Indy 500 victory has made him the richest winner within the historical past of the famed race.

The Indianapolis 500 purse report was shattered for the third 12 months in a row because the 108th version of the race posted $18,456,000 with two-time race winner Newgarden of Workforce Penske incomes $4.288 million.

After record-breaking payouts in 2022 and 2023, that is the biggest purse and largest winner’s payout within the century-plus historical past of “The Best Spectacle in Racing.”

“The Indianapolis 500 is the best race on the earth, and this record-breaking purse is reflective of simply how monumental competing in and successful at Indy is for these drivers,” Penske Leisure President and CEO Mark Miles stated in a launch. “Regardless of climate challenges, the Month of Could featured packed grandstands and intense on-track motion. Presenting this purse is the best finish cap to an epic month.”

Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Sequence champion, earned Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Yr honors.

Larson, driving for Arrow McLaren, was making an attempt to turn into the fifth driver to finish “The Double,” racing the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the identical day. The Hendrick Motorsports star’s plans had been foiled by a four-hour rain delay in Indianapolis, and he arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway throughout a rain delay that ultimately resulted within the Coke 600 being referred to as early.

Larson completed 18th within the Indy 500 after qualifying fifth. He was working sixth earlier than dashing on a green-flag pit stops with 70 laps remaining.

Larson earned a $50,000 bonus for being named Rookie of the Yr, including to a complete take-home prize of $178,000.

Purse awards are introduced yearly on the Victory Celebration, held this 12 months on the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis Monday night time.

Newgarden’s purse included a $440,000 rollover bonus from BorgWarner for incomes back-to-back wins within the “The Best Spectacle in Racing.” The jackpot will increase by $20,000 annually however has solely been awarded just one different time since its inception when Helio Castroneves received the Indy 500 in 2001-02.

The prize cash could be claimed solely by a driver who wins the Indy 500 in consecutive years. Every year, the jackpot will increase by a further $20,000 and continues till the subsequent driver wins the race in consecutive years.

Newgarden is the sixth driver to win consecutive Indy 500s for the reason that race’s 1911 debut. The was Wilbur Shaw in 1939-40, adopted by Mauri Rose 1947-48, Invoice Vukovich in 1953-54, Al Unser in 1970-71 and Castroneves.

The Indy 500 race winner has tried to defend his title 83 instances with a median end place of simply 13.04 place.

“BorgWarner seems to be ahead to the thrill of the Indianapolis 500 yearly, and we’re thrilled to extend the stakes even additional for Josef Newgarden this 12 months with the rolling jackpot prize,” stated Frédéric Lissalde, President and CEO, BorgWarner. “We’re anxious to see if Newgarden will meet me in Victory Circle for the second consecutive 12 months and money in on the jackpot for the primary time in over 20 years.”

Josef Newgarden — Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

“The Indianapolis 500 means every part to us, however extra cash is a motivator, and it might be nice to have this bonus,” Newgarden stated. “Borg Warner is such an amazing companion of the Speedway and of this iconic occasion. They’re the custodian of the enduring trophy of the Indianapolis 500.

“It’s fairly cool that they supply this chance, and let’s see if we are able to get it accomplished.”

The prospect to win the rollover bonus has saved the season of celebration rolling for Newgarden and BorgWarner.

“Yeah, I feel that’s a great way to place it,” the Workforce Penske driver stated. “We’ve had a enjoyable time over the past 12 months. It’s been wonderful to expertise what successful the Indianapolis 500 is like. There may be actually, nothing that compares to it.

“And I’m enthusiastic about this 12 months. Hopefully, we’ll have one other alternative to win this race. It might imply the world to me to get one other one right here.”

Helio Castroneves celebrating his second-straight Indy 500 win in 2002 — AFP through Getty Photos

Since Castroneves received again to again in 2001-02, 17 winners have returned the subsequent 12 months to Indy to defend their titles. Their common end has been 13.11 place.

Newgarden was the 75^th driver to win the Indy 500. Along with the BorgWarner rollover bonus, Newgarden’s back-to-back Indy 500 wins was a record-extending 20^th victory for Workforce Penske.

“It’s an enormous deal,” Newgarden stated. “Roger is all the time trying on the subsequent objective submit. There isn’t a one I respect greater than Roger Penske and this crew. To have the ability to come again right here as winners to compete, with this group, it means the world to me. And it’s a large victory for all of us.”

The 12 months’s common payout for NTT IndyCar Sequence drivers was $543,000, which additionally exceeds final 12 months’s common of $500,600.

In 2023, the Indy 500 purse was $17,021,500, and the winner’s payout was $3.666 million. The 2022 Indy 500 purse was $16,000,200, and the winner earned $3.1 million.

Previous to 2022, the biggest Indy 500 purse was $14.4 million in 2008. Second-place finisher Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren Racing took residence $1,050,500, exceeding the take-home prize for final 12 months’s second-place finisher.

The Indianapolis 500 purse consists of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NTT IndyCar Sequence awards, plus different designated and particular awards.

Listed here are the payouts to the 33 drivers:

1. Josef Newgarden, $4,288,000
2. Pato O’Ward, $1,050,500
3. Scott Dixon, $835,000
4. Alexander Rossi, $688,000
5. Alex Palou, $614,000
6. Scott McLaughlin, $781,500
7. Kyle Kirkwood, $568,000
8. Santino Ferrucci, $568,500
9. Rinus VeeKay, $563,500
10. Conor Daly, $159,000
11. Callum Ilott, $538,500
12. Christian Rasmussen, $128,000
13. Christian Lundgaard, $537,000
14. Takuma Sato, $119,500
15. Graham Rahal, $537,000
16. Sting Ray Robb, $228,300
17. Ed Carpenter, $510,500
18. Kyle Larson, $178,000
19. Romain Grosjean, $517,500
20. Helio Castroneves, $102,000
21. Kyffin Simpson, $158,300
22. Agustín Canapino, $511,000
23. Colton Herta, $513,000
24. Will Energy, $543,000
25. Marco Andretti, $102,000
26. Ryan Hunter‐Reay, $102,000
27. Felix Rosenqvist, $514,000
28. Linus Lundqvist, $508,500
29. Katherine Legge, $158,800
30. Marcus Armstrong, $156,300
31. Tom Blomqvist, $156,300
32. Pietro Fittipaldi, $507,500
33. Marcus Ericsson, $507,500

Comply with Bruce Martin on Twitter at @BruceMartin_500