There are a choose few locations in all the world which might be well-known for auto racing to the purpose that they’re synonymous with the game. Point out Le Mans, and you’re certainly referring to the Circuit de la Sarthe and the world’s best 24 Hour endurance race. Say Daytona, and it’s probably that you simply’re referring to Daytona Worldwide Speedway, NASCAR’s signature racetrack, and its best race. And discuss of Indianapolis, and it’ll virtually actually convey the world’s most well-known 500 Mile Race to the forefront of the thoughts and creativeness.
From its beginnings as a yard of bricks laid simply previous the flip of the twentieth century, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has grow to be one of many world’s best racetracks, and every Might it has lured drivers from all corners of the globe to contest a 500 Mile contest like no different. From 1911 onwards — by means of struggle and peace, pandemic and prosperity — hundreds of racers have strapped right into a race automotive to try to pursue the glory of a win within the Indianapolis 500. It’s for this objective, and a everlasting place on the Borg-Warner Trophy which serves a residing testomony to every Indy 500 winner, that drivers have dedicated themselves, devoted their spirit to, and even have given their very lives for.
For the 109th time, 33 drivers from the celebrities of the IndyCar Collection to stars and champions in different divisions will take to the beginning grid for the Indianapolis 500, all searching for to be the primary to put rubber to the Yard of Bricks on the finish of 200 laps and savor the candy style of milk and glory in Victory Lane.
2025 Indianapolis 500: Marcus Ericsson seeks his second 500 win as IndyCar appears to grab its huge second
Steven Taranto
The place to look at the 109th Indianapolis 500
When: Sunday, Might 25 at 12:45 p.m. ETWhere: Indianapolis Motor Speedway — Speedway, IndianaTV: FoxStream: fubo (attempt without cost)
Indy 500 beginning lineup
Time trial qualifying at Indianapolis led to an enormous upset, as rookie driver Robert Shwartzman and first-year IndyCar staff Prema Racing gained the pole with a four-lap common of 232.790 MPH within the Quick Six on Sunday. Shwartzman, a former reserve driver for Ferrari’s F1 staff, is the primary Indy 500 rookie to start out on the pole since Teo Fabi did so in 1983, whereas Prema Racing — an Italian racing staff that runs a number of System 1 junior packages — is the primary rookie staff to win the pole since Mayer Motor Racing did so with driver Tom Sneva.
Schwartzman will probably be flanked on the entrance row by two-time Indy 500 champion Takuma Sato and final yr’s runner-up Pato O’Ward. Sato is considered one of three former champions who will begin within the first three rows, with 2008 winner Scott Dixon in fourth and 2022 champion Marcus Ericsson in ninth.
#83 – Robert Shwartzman (R)
#75 – Takuma Sato (W)
#5 – Pato O’Ward
#9 – Scott Dixon (W)
#60 – Felix Rosenqvist
#10 – Alex Palou
#4 – David Malukas
#7 – Christian Lundgaard
#28 – Marcus Ericsson (W)
#3 – Scott McLaughlin
#76 – Conor Daly
#20 – Alexander Rossi (W)
#8 – Kyffin Simpson
#33 – Ed Carpenter
#14 – Santino Ferrucci
#30 – Devlin DeFrancesco
#77 – Sting Ray Robb
#21 – Christian Rasmussen
#17 – Kyle Larson
#45 – Louis Foster
#90 – Callum Ilott
#06 – Helio Castroneves
#27 – Kyle Kirkwood
#6 – Nolan Siegel
#23 – Ryan Hunter-Reay
#24 – Jack Harvey
#26 – Colton Herta
#15 – Graham Rahal
#98 – Marco Andretti
#66 – Marcus Armstrong
#18 – Rinus VeeKay
#2 – Josef Newgarden
#12 – Will Energy
Did not Qualify: Jacob Abel (R)
(R) – Denotes rookie
(W) – Denotes previous winner
Indy 500 storylines to look at
When the Month of Might opened, all eyes have been on Josef Newgarden’s quest to grow to be the primary driver in Indy 500 historical past to win the race three years in a row. However his pursuit of historical past has been marred by a scandal on the Speedway that has put his staff straight within the crosshairs of a problem to the very integrity of IndyCar’s most achieved group.
Previous to the beginning of Sunday’s time trials, Newgarden and Will Energy’s Group Penske vehicles have been disallowed from making a qualifying try after it was found that each vehicles had unlawful fillings within the seam of the rear attenuator, a security system and spec half that groups will not be allowed to change. Whereas it was at first determined that each vehicles would merely begin in Row 4, the penalties levied to Penske grew to become way more extreme after the depth of Penske’s infractions, which included the identical unlawful fillings being current in Newgarden’s 2024 successful automotive, have been made obvious.
Newgarden and Energy each begin the Indianapolis 500 from the rear of the sector, with their groups stripped of all factors earned in qualifying and fined $100,000. The matter of the Penske penalties is made extra sophisticated by the truth that Roger Penske additionally owns each IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, resulting in extreme actions by Penske in an effort to keep up the integrity of the game and his group: Group Penske fired a number of top-ranking members of its group on Wednesday, together with IndyCar staff president Tim Cindric, managing director Ron Ruzewski and basic supervisor Kyle Moyer, a number of of whom have been additionally implicated in a scandal final yr involving an unlawful push-to-pass system in Newgarden’s automotive at St. Petersburg.
If the fallout from Penske’s penalties and the following distraction doesn’t make for a extreme hindrance to Newgarden’s three-peat bid, the truth that he’s beginning within the last row actually will. No driver beginning in Row 11 has ever gone on to win the Indy 500, because the deepest beginning spot any winner has come from is twenty eighth — a report held collectively by Ray Haroun (1911) and Louis Meyer (1936), that means it hasn’t been achieved since previous to to World Warfare II.
One yr after his Indianapolis 500 debut and doomed Double try, NASCAR Cup Collection star Kyle Larson returned to Indy this yr seeking to lastly full the Indy-Charlotte Double. Final yr, Larson’s first try at operating each the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte on the identical day led to catastrophe, as a rain delay at Indianapolis prevented him from making it to Charlotte in time for the beginning of the Coke 600 — after which extra rain when he lastly arrived in Charlotte ended the race prematurely and prevented him from ever getting within the No. 5 Chevrolet he drives full-time in NASCAR.
Ought to the climate cooperate, Larson will attempt to enhance on an 18th place end in final yr’s Indy 500 and grow to be the fifth driver in historical past to finish the Double, becoming a member of John Andretti, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch. Larson can even attempt to be a part of Stewart (2001) in finishing all 1,100 mixed miles between the 2 races. Within the occasion that the climate doesn’t cooperate once more, Larson will this time prioritize his NASCAR obligations and switch his No. 17 over to order driver and former Indy 500 champion Tony Kanaan.
Larson’s second attempt on the Month of Might has not been fairly as profitable as his first, as he crashed within the leadup to qualifying after which turned in a midpack time trial efficiency. After qualifying fifth for his debut a yr in the past, Larson will now begin the Indy 500 from nineteenth beginning spot this yr.
Whereas a number of stars of IndyCar’s new era like Alex Palou, Pato O’Ward and Scott McLaughlin search their first wins within the Indianapolis 500, a legend of the Speedway is again to try to do one thing by no means achieved earlier than: For the fourth time since his record-tying fourth win in 2021, Helio Castroneves appears to grow to be the primary driver to win the Indy 500 5 instances, which might break a tie he holds with A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears and make him the winningest driver within the historical past of the five hundred Mile Race.
Though Castroneves’ resume is among the many best of any who competed in IndyCar during the last quarter century, a fifth Indianapolis 500 win will probably be no small feat contemplating that he has but to make a begin in open wheel competitors this season. Castroneves’ final main race got here in February, when he made his long-awaited NASCAR debut within the Daytona 500. And having simply turned 50 years previous, Castroneves must grow to be the oldest driver to ever win the Indy 500, a report Unser set when he gained at 47 years previous in 1987.
2025 Indianapolis 500: Group Penske fires a number of staff officers after dishonest scandal throughout qualifying
Steven Taranto
Decide to win
Pato O’Ward (+500) — Final yr’s Indianapolis 500 noticed Pato O’Ward get his coronary heart damaged with one lap to go, as he made what would have been the successful transfer on the white flag had Josef Newgarden not been in a position to get a run and cross him again only a half lap later. Having come that shut already makes O’Ward an apparent favourite going into this yr’s Indy 500, as does the truth that he has grow to be considered one of IndyCar’s largest stars. O’Ward gained a career-high 3 times final season, and already has a podium to start out this yr with a second place end at The Thermal Membership.
Since becoming a member of Arrow McLaren, O’Ward has persistently run on the entrance within the Indianapolis 500, main 17 laps in 2021, 26 in 2022, 39 in 2023 and 9 a yr in the past.
So who wins the Indy 500 2025, and which lengthy photographs make a run on the checkered flag? Take a look at SportsLine now to see the total projected 2025 Indianapolis 500 leaderboard, all from the mannequin that appropriately predicted 21 NASCAR winners since 2021 and 32 System One winners since 2021.
