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The Brutal Brickyard: Alex Palou’s Defining Win in a Crash-Filled Indy 500

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
May 25, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 4 mins read
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The Brutal Brickyard: Alex Palou’s Defining Win in a Crash-Filled Indy 500

The 2025 Indianapolis 500 delivered one of its most dramatic and chaotic editions in recent memory today, Sunday, May 25, 2025, culminating in a historic victory for Alex Palou. The Spaniard, who has been a formidable force in the IndyCar Series, added the biggest prize in American open-wheel racing to his burgeoning list of achievements, further cementing his status as one of the sport’s elite drivers.

The 109th running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” began with an immediate test of patience and nerve. The command for the drivers to start their engines was delayed for nearly an hour due to light rain showers that swept across the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during pre-race ceremonies. Once the track was cleared, the mayhem began even before the green flag waved. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin lost control of his No. 3 Chevrolet while warming tires on the frontstretch, slamming into the inside wall and ending his race before it ever truly started. Simultaneously, plumes of smoke were spotted from the rear brakes of Scott Dixon’s No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, though he managed to cool the issue and take the green.

When the green flag finally dropped, chaos erupted instantly. Rookie polesitter Robert Shwartzman quickly dropped into second as the field surged. At the back, a multi-car incident involving Marco Andretti, Jack Harvey (No. 98), and Marcus Armstrong sent Harvey spinning into the wall, collecting Armstrong and ending their races in a brutal opening lap. This early caution prompted several cars to take advantage of the opportunity for an initial pit stop.

The race returned to green around Lap 10, with Shwartzman briefly resuming the lead before Pato O’Ward and Takuma Sato launched into contention, with Sato eventually taking the lead. The yellow flag flew again on Lap 19 due to more light rain. A major round of pit stops ensued around Lap 25, marked by several near-collisions at the end of pit lane. Notably, NASCAR star Kyle Larson’s No. 17 Arrow McLaren stalled on pit road, dropping him to 31st and last among the running cars.

The green flag waved again on Lap 31, witnessing incredible five-wide racing in the mid-pack as drivers scrambled for position. The three Ed Carpenter Racing drivers showed strong early pace at the front. However, the chaos continued. On Lap 74, Alexander Rossi, driving the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, endured a fiery pit stop as his car burst into flames during refueling, forcing him to abandon his race. Shortly after, Rinus VeeKay brought out another caution when he lost brakes entering pit lane and collided with the pit wall, also retiring from the race.

The subsequent round of pit stops was equally fraught: Sato skidded past his pit box, losing the lead, while polesitter Shwartzman locked up and hit his own crew members, ending his day in a heartbreaking retirement.

The race restarted around Lap 92 with Ryan Hunter-Reay leading, only for the caution to wave almost immediately. Kyle Larson lost control and spun, crashing into the wall and collecting Kyffin Simpson and Sting Ray Robb, ending all three of their races. This major incident prematurely concluded Larson’s ambitious “Double” attempt. Meanwhile, Josef Newgarden, who had started from the very back after a pre-race penalty, remarkably carved his way into the top 10 by the halfway point.

The green flag came back out around Lap 107, only to be neutralized almost instantly as Christian Rasmussen spun, though he managed to save his car. Racing resumed around Lap 110 with Canadian Devlin DeFrancesco leading, who later pitted and handed the lead to local favorite Conor Daly. However, Newgarden’s incredible comeback hopes were dashed with 65 laps remaining due to a critical fuel pressure issue that forced him back to the pits, ending his bid for a historic third consecutive victory.

In the closing stages, Alex Palou skillfully snatched the net lead, battling fiercely with David Malukas and Conor Daly. Hunter-Reay, on an alternate fuel strategy, briefly held the lead before his final pit stop, where he stalled, taking him out of contention. Palou and Santino Ferrucci made their final stops with 32 laps left. Marcus Ericsson, having pitted under an earlier yellow, emerged as a dark horse contender, taking the lead with a clever strategy. However, with just 14 laps remaining, Palou executed a decisive move, rounding Ericsson to take the lead.

Palou masterfully held that lead, navigating the final laps under immense pressure. The race ultimately concluded under caution, as another incident occurred in the final corner, neutralizing the field and sealing Alex Palou’s hard-fought victory at the 2025 Indianapolis 500. It was a race of attrition, strategy, and unyielding drama, truly befitting “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Tags: Alex Palou
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