Indy Diary 2025: Episode #3
Disastrous early exit for Scotty Mac.
The race was over before it began for Scott McLaughlin.
Set to take the start from grid position #10 for Team Penske, he was weaving to warm his tyres after a delayed start because of light rain showers.
He lost control. Crashed. Destroyed his 'Yellow Submarine"
But he was not alone, as Alexander Rossi's race literally went up in flames and pole sitter Robert Shwartzman crashed in the pitlane.
How much does the Indy 500 winner take home?
The prize purse for the big dance, which comes from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is not announced until after the race.
However, 2024 winner Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden won a record $US4.28 million ($A6.6m) of an estimated $18.45 million ($A28.5m) purse. Plus, a $US 440,000 ($A690k) rollover bonus from Borg Warner as a repeat winner.
Sponsors and TV network deals contribute to the purse. Sanctioning body fees also contribute.
Since 1924, every driver in the field has taken home a raceday pay check.
The rush to get into the track on Raceday.
At 5.00am the queue to get into the various car parks was around four-kilometres long.
IMS officials had been urging people all week to make an early start, and they did.
Some were even sitting in their reserved seats just after sunrise, even though race day at Indy – especially with a rain delay – is a very long long day
Can Team Penske break a grid position hoodoo?
Even before McLaughlin's early exit, Team Penske was up against it.
After the disqualification of #2 Josef Newgarden and #12 Will Power, they were forced to start in positions 32 and 33 respectively.
Last row, last positions.
No driver has ever won the Indy 500 from these positions. The lowest grid spot ever to win the race was P28 when Ray Harroun won the race in 1936.
Americans love a Parade
The importance of the race to the city of Indianapolis is never more clearly spelled out than through Saturday’s Parade through the centre of the city.
Bands of all sorts, marching girls, floats, military on horseback – you name it.
And mixed in with all this are, row-by-row, the drivers in the back of a fleet of pick-ups.
Probably the only good thing for Power and Newgarden was that the eleventh row was the first through, pole sitter Robert Swartzman arriving close to two hours later.
Huge crowds turn out and it’s the Saturday highlight with no cars on track at the Speedway.
Did the Bookies get it right?
Betting is huge on the Indy 500 and BetMGM posted these odds on Sunday morning:
Pato O'Ward 5 to 1
Alex Palou 5 to 1
Scott McLaughlin 7 to 1
Scott Dixon 7 to 1
Josef Newgarden 10 to 1
Takuma Sato 14 to 1
Will Power 16 to 1
Jack Harvey was last at 2000 to 1