Josef Newgarden became the sixth and most recent driver to win the Indianapolis 500 in consecutive seasons on Sunday, and he is also the recipient of the largest winner’s payout in the race’s history.
Newgarden’s last lap pass on Pato O’Ward earned him a cool $4.288 million along with sealing his place as one of the few to earn wins in back-to-back seasons.
The prize money comes in addition to the $3.66 million he was awarded for last year’s win, which gives him quite the pile of cash for his achievements.
A portion of this year’s total comes from a bonus paid out by Borg-Warner specifically for the consecutive win achievement, which added $440,000 to the original payout numbers.
The bonus numbers will reset for next season, starting at $20,000 and adding that amount to the total for each year that it goes unclaimed.
O’Ward earned just over $1 million for his second place run, adding a bit of consolation to the young driver who was devastated to have come so close to achieving his dream victory.
In total, $18,456,000 was awarded to the 33 participants in the Indy 500, which is also a record purse for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
“The Indianapolis 500 is the greatest race in the world, and this record-breaking purse is reflective of just how monumental competing in and winning at Indy is for these drivers,” Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said.
“Despite weather challenges, the Month of May featured packed grandstands and intense on-track action. Presenting this purse is the ideal end cap to an epic month.”
Fans that stayed through the rain delay to watch the race late Sunday afternoon were also rewarded with a fantastic race that featured fights for position throughout the event.
There were 49 official lead changes in 200 laps, including the last lap pass completed by Newgarden to seal his large payday.
