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Josef Newgarden Dominates Rain-Shortened Indy 500 Practice
Highlights
- Josef Newgarden led rain-shortened practice at Indianapolis 500
- Crash involving Rossi, O’Ward, and Grosjean halted session 28 minutes in
- Rossi taken to hospital; no serious injuries reported
- Takuma Sato and rookie Dennis Hauger placed second and third
- Final practice scheduled Friday before Indianapolis 500 on May 24
- Race start time set for 10 a.m. ET Sunday
Josef Newgarden sets the pace in a rain-shortened Monday practice for the 110th Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Team Penske driver posts a best lap of 226.198 mph, a timely reset after a difficult qualifying day.
Running lasts just one hour and 18 minutes, with weather and a major Turn 2 crash curtailing mileage and limiting long-run learning.
The incident arrives 28 minutes in. Alexander Rossi spins his No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, hits the SAFER Barrier, and is collected by Pato O’Ward.
Romain Grosjean also spins into the barrier avoiding the wreck, leaving all three cars with significant damage and teams with urgent repair decisions.
Rossi is conscious and transported for precautionary checks, with no severe injuries reported. O’Ward and Grosjean are evaluated and released.
Multi-car crash at Turn 2 halts practice 28 minutes in; all drivers avoid serious injury.
Newgarden’s benchmark is followed by Takuma Sato’s 225.723 mph for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, an encouraging indicator of Honda race-trim potential.
Rookie Dennis Hauger impresses with 224.554 mph in the No. 19, building confidence despite a 29th-place grid start.
Newgarden tops the charts at 226.198 mph for Team Penske in limited running.
Ryan Hunter-Reay places fourth at 224.415 mph for Arrow McLaren, while Marcus Ericsson is fifth at 224.376 mph for Andretti Global after a challenging qualifying.
Interruptions compress the window, but teams still log 1,053 collective laps, prioritizing traffic running and balance checks over outright headline speed.
The constraints elevate the importance of correlation work, particularly for those repairing crash damage ahead of Friday’s final practice.
With limited laps, downforce selection and stability in traffic dominate the checklists. Teams chase a car that tows well yet remains predictable in turbulent air.
Fuel number validation and tire degradation trends remain partially unresolved, meaning Friday’s running must carry extra workload for race-day readiness.
Final practice runs Friday, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. ET; the Indianapolis 500 starts Sunday at 10 a.m. ET.
Carb Day becomes pivotal for pit stop execution, restart drills, and late tweaks to mechanical balance before Sunday, May 24.
Penske’s headline pace positions Newgarden strongly, but Sato’s RLL speed and Hauger’s composure hint at a competitive, multi-make fight in race trim.
Repairs permitting, the crash trio should return on Friday, though parts availability and chassis checks will dictate how aggressive their programs can be.
The field now pivots from laptime to racecraft, with traffic behavior and consistency set to decide the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500.
Visual Summary
Josef Newgarden strikes back — tops a rain-shortened, crash-marred
Indy 500 practice at 226.198 mph
Indy 500 practice at 226.198 mph
🌧️ 78 min session — rain & lightning
💥 Multi-car crash in T2
Top 5: Mid-practice mastery
1
Newgarden
226.198
2
Sato
225.723
3
Hauger
224.554
4
Hunter-Reay
5
Ericsson
The Turn 2 Carnage
💥
All drivers ok. Cars: 💔
Rossi, O’Ward, and Grosjean spin out trying to avoid disaster. Only cars suffer serious injuries today.
Track Buzz (1,053 laps run)
🚦
Intense traffic as teams scramble to prep for race day.
Strategy switches from speed to survival after the crash & clouds roll in.
Final Tune-Up? ⏭️
Miller Lite Carb Day is up next: Friday, May 24
One last chance to get it right before the 110th Indy 500!
One last chance to get it right before the 110th Indy 500!
Brian Thompson focuses on IndyCar Series news, from qualifying speeds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to street-course race strategy. He delivers concise feature stories and technical breakdowns on chassis setups, tire choices, and championship standings for open-wheel enthusiasts.
