Josef Newgarden shook up the 2025 Indy 500 field from behind – a fuel pump problem ruined his chances of a hat trick
Josef Newgarden attempted two historic milestones at the 2025 Indianapolis 500 on Sunday – the first hat trick in IndyCar racing history and a victory from the deepest starting position ever.
After receiving a penalty for a technical infringement during qualifying, the driver of the 2 Penske Chevrolet started the race from 32nd on the grid. A victory seemed almost impossible – but at one point it actually looked as if Newgarden could join the battle for first place.
But it wasn’t to be for the two-time IndyCar champion: a fuel pump problem turned Newgarden into a spectator in the final third of the race – along with more than 350,000 fans in the stands at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Newgarden bitterly disappointed
“It’s tough to have no chance here at the end,” said Newgarden after his retirement. “I had a good feeling and wanted to be patient today.”
Newgarden drove a calm, focused race on Sunday. Thanks to numerous retirements and incidents, the driver from Tennessee steadily worked his way up the field and was already in the top 10 at the halfway point of the race. Although he still had ground to make up, the two-time champion was suddenly back within striking distance of the lead in the final third of the race.
But just as a possible attack was looming, bad luck struck. On lap 135, Newgarden had to make an unscheduled pit stop due to a fuel pump failure. At first, he was annoyed about the impending loss of laps, but ultimately the technical problem meant an early end to his race. In the end, he was only classified in 25th place.
Grateful for the opportunity
“I’m still incredibly grateful to be able to race here in Indianapolis,” said Newgarden. “That was also how I felt before the race. I love this event more than anything, I love the chance to be on this grid. As hard as it is to take, I’m grateful that I was able to be here today.
“I just wish we could have fought until the end. We didn’t even get to see how strong we really would have been today. We worked our way up slowly. Thanks to all our partners, to the whole team—there’s so much work that goes into this. It’s just a shame we weren’t in the fight.”
