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Pato O’Ward Speaks Through Tears After Indy 500 ‘Heartbreak’

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In the dramatic Indianapolis 500 finish, Pato O’Ward found himself in a familiar position: second place. The Arrow McLaren driver has come close to winning “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in previous years, finishing second in 2022, fourth in 2021, and sixth in 2020. After starting third in the 2024 Indy 500, O’Ward once again finished as the runner-up, this time behind the now-back-to-back winner, Josef Newgarden.

In his post-race interview, O’Ward’s devastation was painfully obvious. Holding back his emotions, he spoke with NBC about the heartbreak of finishing so close yet again: “It’s hard to put it into words. I’m proud of the work that we did today. We recovered, we went back, we went forward, we went back. Some people are just driving like maniacs. We had so many near-race-enders and just so close again. So [expletive] close.”

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When asked about battling with Newgarden on the thrilling final laps, O’Ward reflected on pushing his car to the limit: “I put that car through things I never thought he was going to be able to do. Sometimes I said, ‘That’s it.’ And somehow I came out the other side of the corner. I just — oh, man. This is so painful when you put so much into it, and then two laps short, I guess. Two corners short.”

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Despite the heartbreak, O’Ward remained gracious and acknowledged the opportunities he’s had: “Indianapolis Motor Speedway owes me nothing, but just, yeah. I’d much rather obviously finish the race rather than compared to last year [when he didn’t finish]. But it’s always a heartbreak whenever it just is so close, especially when it’s not the first time and you just don’t know how many opportunities like that you have.”

Pato O’Ward vs. Josef Newgarden: The Thrilling Finish

Pato O’Ward

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The 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 delivered heart-pounding excitement, and the final laps were nothing short of spectacular. As the checkered flag loomed, Pato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden engaged in a fierce battle for victory.

With just a few laps remaining, Pato O’Ward found himself in the lead, but Newgarden was relentless. The two drivers went toe-to-toe, their cars inches apart as they hurtled around the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The tension was palpable, and fans held their breath, knowing that this duel would determine the winner.

On the penultimate lap, Newgarden made his move. He dove to the inside of O’Ward in Turn 3, attempting to snatch victory from the young Mexican driver. Pato O’Ward, equally determined, defended his position fiercely. The cars touched, tires rubbing against each other, as they fought for supremacy.

But fate had other plans. As they exited Turn 4 and headed down the front straight, Newgarden surged ahead. O’Ward’s car wobbled, and he lost precious momentum. In a cruel twist of fate, Newgarden crossed the finish line first, securing his second consecutive Indy 500 victory.

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Moin
Moin
I'm Moin Akhunji, a passionate sports writer renowned for my unique storytelling approach. My expertise spans across various sports, notably NASCAR, F1, and IndyCar. I hold a profound admiration for athletes like Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr. When I'm not crafting articles, you'll likely find me trekking in the hills, indulging in my favorite hobby.
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