"This is the most difficult motor race in the world to win": When Josef Newgarden celebrated his Indy 500 win with McDonalds and beer

Josef Newgarden marked his first Indianapolis 500 victory in 2023 with a memorable celebration; a bag of McDonald's in one hand, a beer in the other, and a heartfelt speech about what it took to finally win. Newgarden will go down in history as one of the greatest drivers to ever compete in the IndyCar Championship. He won the title in 2017 in his very first season with Team Penske and then won the title once again in 2019.

However, the one thing the Penske driver wanted more than anything was a victory in 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing'. But as he finally won the race in 2023 after 11 unsuccessful attempts, Josef Newgarden explained just how difficult it is to win the Indy 500 and what it means for those who do.

"You know this is the most difficult motor race in the world to win and I can wholeheartedly say that. It's such a tricky race to get right. And if you're lucky enough to win it with the team, it is so special and now I know how special that is and I wanted to experience that energy from the crowd," he said in an interview with RACER's Marshall Pruett (3:55 onwards).

Beyond the joy of winning the race, Newgarden acknowledged the pain felt by those who didn’t win. He described the "hidden pain" that comes with near misses and lost opportunities at Indianapolis. He admitted that he had not always been seen as a favorite to win, unlike someone like Tony Kanaan, who had led many laps in past races before finally breaking through in 2013

However, Josef Newgarden had faced his own struggles at times when he and his team believed they had the ability to win but something went wrong.

"...You just pour your heart and soul into this event and it breaks your heart when you don't win the race. It breaks it more than anywhere else and the only thing that matters here is winning. It really is, it's a little cheesy and it sounds funny but it's so true for the Indy 500. There's one winner there's one happy team and then there's everybody with a broken heart and the more years you do that the more difficult it becomes," he added.

Having said all that, he is now on the verge of making history in IndyCar.

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Josef Newgarden can make history at the 109th running of the Indy 500

Josef Newgarden followed up his 2023 win by securing another victory in 2024, making him the first driver since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002 to win back-to-back Indy 500s. His wins were also historic because he became the only driver to win the race in consecutive years with a last-lap pass.

Only six drivers in history have won two straight Indy 500s, and if Josef Newgarden wins again in 2025, he will be the first to claim three in a row. A third win would also move him up the all-time Indy 500 winners list, while also tying him up with five other drivers to have won the race three times in their career.

The 2025 season also offers another possible milestone, with Alex Palou aiming for his third straight IndyCar championship. The Spaniard became the first driver since Franchitti (2009-2011) to win back-to-back titles and will enter the season as the title favorite once again.