By David Morgan, Associate Editor
INDIANAPOLIS – Another year at Indianapolis, another shot at glory.
After coming agonizingly close to winning his first Indianapolis 500 a year ago, Pato O’Ward returns with his No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet looking to finish one spot better and stake his claim at the Racing Capital of the World.
As the 109th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing looms ever larger, O’Ward explained his mindset heading into this year’s race as he will roll off from the outside of the front row – his best starting position yet.
“I mean, I’m just calm. It’s such a long race, man. It’s like three hours long or something. You got to be there in the end just to even have a shot,” said O’Ward.
“That’s pretty much how I approach it all the time. You have to be there in the last stint. When you get to the last stint, you got to be there five laps to go, four laps to go. It can end in a split of a second. But it also can turn around quite quickly and you can have a shot.”
O’Ward added that although past experience can help to guide a driver and team when they roll into the speedway for the Month of May, each race has its own identity and can play out in any number of ways. The key is in the ability to be versatile and adapt to whatever the race throws at you.
“Every 500 is different,” O’Ward said, gesturing to two-time Indy 500 champion Takuma Sato seated next to him. “Taku has done more than me, but I think he can agree none of them are the same. Knowledge is priceless. If you’re obviously in a similar situation to the past, you can pick and choose what you’re going to do.
“They’re all different, man. This year with the hybrid, the cars have been so on the edge. Some guys are driving insane in practice. I mean, last year in the race I was shocked with how some guys were driving in lap 15.
“Yeah, I think it’s safe to say you never know what to expect. Just be ready for anything.”
While the speed was there for O’Ward and his team in qualifying, he admitted that they still have some tinkering to do to get the car dialed in for race day. A key element they focused on during Friday’s Carb Day final practice session.
“We’ve still got work to do, I would say,” O’Ward said ahead of the final two hours of on track activity before Sunday. “I don’t think that we’re as far along as we have been in years past. I do think we nailed it in qualifying. At least with my car I was pretty happy with it, as happy as I’ve ever been for 500 qualifying. But for the race car it’s been a bit more of a challenge.
“[Friday’s] two hours are going to be really important to kind of dialing her in.
“But I don’t think we’re far away, but we’re definitely not — I don’t see, at least my car, was even close to some of the other stronger cars that I’ve seen, where it’s like, ooh — I feel like there’s a bigger difference from strong cars to average to, like, weak cars this year. It seems like the change is quite a bit more than years past.
“Yeah, just trying to get a little bit better and a bit more comfortable.”
O’Ward would time in eighth fastest in final practice, giving him added confidence heading into Sunday.
“That’s the last little bit right before race day,” O’Ward said afterwards. “Happy we got her her dialed in a little bit better and I think we’ve got a package we can work with, so we’ll see what Sunday has in store.”
Winning the 500 on His Own Merits
After finishing second to Josef Newgarden in the 2024 Indy 500, the question has arisen amid the scandal surrounding Team Penske on whether Newgarden piloted a legal car to victory in that race.
Regardless, O’Ward doesn’t want to be gifted a win in the biggest race in the sport on a technicality. Instead, he wants to go out and earn his place in history by being the fastest driver when it counts on Sunday.
“You know what, whatever it was, I would have never wanted to win an Indy 500 a year later just because one car got caught being illegal, whatever,” said O’Ward. “I truly believe Josef won that race. He timed it better than I did.
“I want to be able to experience what any Indy 500 winner gets to experience, the whole schnaz, the energy. That’s ultimately what makes the experience to the next level, just being an Indy 500 winner.
“I know how to position myself to be in a chance to win. I believe I have the team behind me able to do that.
“Starting on the front row, best starting position I’ve ever had, we’ll see what we can do on Sunday.”
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