“You only have one chance”: When Josef Newgarden disclosed his ‘perspective change' about choosing the Indy 500 over a championship

Josef Newgarden is among the most dominant IndyCar drivers and has etched two highly-coveted titles. The Tennessee native joined Team Penske's garage in 2017 and clinched his first IndyCar championship, besting four wins to reign supreme.

The driver is a veteran in IndyCar, but one thing often left him puzzled - what does he desire to win more, the Indy 500 race or the IndyCar championship? He couldn't choose one, but after clinching his first Indy 500 win last year, Newgarden's perspective completely changed.

Even though winning the title is a testament to being the best driver of the season, acing the annual 500-mile event has its importance. The Indianapolis 500 is among the oldest races on the planet and is wholeheartedly cherished by the fans. The iconic race was green-flagged for the first time on May 30, 1911.

Josef Newgarden has plenty of success with Team Penske, including his two championships. However, it was not until the 2023 season that he experienced the feeling of triumphing in the Indy 500. After registering his name in history, Newgarden made it clear he wanted to win the Indy 500 more than the championship, mainly because the driver gets only one attempt per season (via NBC):

“It’s funny because you always get the question, ‘Would you rather win the Indianapolis 500? Or would you rather win the IndyCar championship?’ I always struggled to answer that. My answer was you want to win both, and I still feel that way. But now, having won the Indy 500, I think my perspective has changed," Josef Newgarden said.

“I would, hands down, love to win the Indianapolis 500 over a championship because it is so difficult to get it right on that day. You only have one chance a year, and there is so much buildup and so much pressure and commitment that everybody has put in, now that I have actually achieved it, I want to win it more than I have ever wanted to win it."

It took 12 attempts for Newgarden to bag his career-first Indy 500 win.

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Josef Newgarden won his second consecutive Indy 500 this year

While Josef Newgarden had to wait for 12 seasons before materializing the dream of winning the Indy 500, it took him just another attempt to relive the glorious moment.

The Team Penske driver kicked off the 200-lapper from third place and led 26 laps including the final one. However, his prospective second triumph came under jeopardy as rival Pato O'Ward swooped past the two-time champion to take the white flag as the leader. Nonetheless, Newgarden resumed domination in breathtaking fashion moments before entering the final corner, becoming the first driver since Helios Castrovenes 22 years ago to win back-to-back Indy 500s.

Newgarden wrapped up his 2024 season in eighth place with two wins, seven top-fives, and eight top-10s.