(MADISON, IL.) – The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 delivered everything fans expect from IndyCar’s premier short‑oval night race—strategy swings, weather delays, and a fierce late‑race duel. When the checkered flag finally waved after 260 laps, Josef Newgarden once again stood atop the Gateway podium, securing a record 6th career victory at the Madison, Illinois oval.
The two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion driving the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet, executed a near‑flawless race despite entering the weekend nursing a foot injury. He led 53 laps and ultimately edged Marcus Ericsson by 0.6613 seconds to take the win.
The victory also marked his 34th career IndyCar win, tying him with Al Unser Jr. for ninth on the all‑time list.
Race Results
“Great job to the group,” Newgarden said. “Just a methodical night. We had a good car to start. It wasn’t perfect, but it really came to us just when we needed it. It was a track position day.”
“You’ve got to give a lot of credit to Marcus,” Newgarden said. “I thought he was incredibly strong. I don’t really think there was much between us, so it was a matter of who was going to get position on each other, and that was going to seal the deal. He drove a great race.”
Former Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson was the story of the first half of the race. The Andretti Global driver in the No. 28 Delaware Life Honda led a race‑high 114 laps, controlling the tempo through multiple green‑flag cycles. But as conditions shifted and strategies diverged following two rain delays, Ericsson found himself unable to hold off Newgarden’s late charge.
Still, his runner‑up finish delivered Andretti Global its 260th IndyCar podium.
Said Ericsson, seeking his first win since March 2023 at St. Petersburg: “I’m very proud of our performance, but at the same time it’s tough to lead that many laps … I thought we had it at some points, but Josef is the best in the business on these short ovals.”
Christian Rasmussen delivered one of the standout performances of the night. The ECR driver in the No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet led 5 laps and maintained composure through the chaotic mid‑race restarts to secure a 3rd place, his best IndyCar finish to date.
NTT P1 Award winner Álex Palou in the No. 10 HRC Chip Ganassi Racing Honda led 49 laps early, but a disastrous pit‑lane fuel issue and later handling struggles dropped him to 17th, two laps down.
The result tightened the championship picture, though Palou still held a points advantage entering the next round.
The 260‑lap event was repeatedly disrupted by moisture on the track:
- First red flag: near halfway due to rain
- Second red flag: Lap 200 for additional precipitation
- Four total caution periods slowed the field
These interruptions created significant strategy variance, allowing drivers like Will Power to climb from deep in the field to a top‑10 finish.
According to post‑race NTT data, the event featured:
- 475 total passes
- 268 position passes
- A Passing Index of 6.54, reflecting the race’s high‑action nature on the 1.25‑mile oval.
This year’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 reaffirmed World Wide Technology Raceway’s reputation as one of IndyCar’s most competitive and unpredictable ovals. Josef Newgarden’s mastery of the track continues to be unmatched, and his sixth Gateway victory further cements his legacy as one of the series’ greatest oval racers.
Up Next: XPEL Grand Prix at Road America on Sunday, June 21
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