Josef Newgarden had "outside of my wildest dreams" moment after 11 years of getting humbled at the Indy 500

Team Penske star Josef Newgarden, featured in a recent YouTube video where the two-time Indy 500 winner detailed his experience of winning the fabled race around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Newgarden revealed how tasting victory after 11 years of guilt, for missing out, was a wild experience.

Josef Newgarden made his Indy 500 debut in 2012. He has gone without a win at the greatest spectacle in racing for 11 years. However, 2023 changed the fortunes around for Newgarden, where he overtook Marcus Ericsson on the last lap to take his first victory.

The Team Penske driver sat with the IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President, Doug Boles, for the latest episode of Doug and Drivers. Boles asked Newgarden about the 2023 Indy 500, followed by how it felt to win back-to-back Indy 500s, and now having a shot at the three-peat.

Josef Newgarden detailed how he felt guilty each year he didn't win the race, since the team and the crew worked hard to get the car ready for the race. The American then revealed how, after the win, everything relaxed, and the burden was lifted of his shoulders.

“When we broke through to finally win it, it was a bit of a shock in a lot. Of ways. Not that I didn't feel like we couldn't win it. It just. Hadn't happened. And so you win at one time. You kind of show up with a little bit of ease the next time around,” said Newgarden (2:30 onwards)

“If you tick one off the board. It's such a big deal. And so even just getting one victory around, there is such a huge accomplishment, getting to and doing it back to back and learning about the history that not many people have done that. And no one's done three in a row. It's kind of outside of my wildest dreams,” added the Team Penske driver.

Josef Newgarden, based on recent form, is one of the favorites to win the 109th running of the Indy 500. The 34-year-old is also aiming to become the first ever driver in history to accomplish the three-peat.

“I’m playing catch up”: Josef Newgarden on his dream to win five Indy 500

AJ Foyt, Al Unser Sr, Rick Mears, and Helio Castroneves are the four drivers who hold the joint record for the most Indy 500 wins, with four wins each to their name. Josef Newgarden revealed how he started his career with the dream of beating the record and becoming a five-time winner.

However, with the first 11 years of participation at the Indy 500 not bearing any fruit, Newgarden detailed that he's now playing catch-up with the record. He said,

“I feel like I'm playing. Catch up in a lot of ways, though. When you're young and you just started at the speedway, you have these grand ambitions. I'm just, like, kind of overconfident. I want to win five. I want to be the first person to do that. And then you get humbled for so many years.” via Doug and Drivers podcast (3:30 onwards)

The 109th running of the Indy 500 takes place on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 34 entries have been confirmed for the race as of now.