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Indy 500: Felix Rosenqvist wins 110th running after late restarts lead to shootout lap

James Fletcher IIIby: James Fletcher III05/24/26jdfletch3

The Indianapolis 500 delivered on the biggest day in motorsports, providing countless lead changes and a battle of strategies from start to finish. On a one-lap shootout, Felix Rosenqvist reached the line first over Davis Malukas by a nose.

Despite weather threatening to interfere, the race went the full 200 laps. A series of late cautions even brought out the red flag and then another yellow flag, forcing the various teams to count on a shootout where every strategy combined for a handful of laps to the checkered flag.

Rosenqvist ultimately won by the closest margin in Indy 500 history. He did so as the lead car on the long-run strategy while rival Malukas led the group of short-run contenders.

The 34-year old Swedish driver wins his first Indianapolis 500 just two weeks after welcoming his first child, a daughter. This win also marks his second on the IndyCar series, with the first coming at Road America in the 2020 season.

More on Indy 500 history

The IndyCar series does not often run oval tracks, however its most famous event takes place on the 2.5-mile oval which brings out record crowds year after year. It has become known as the greatest spectacle in motorsports for its ability to captivate audiences on Memorial Day weekend.

Four drivers are tied for the all-time record, with four Indianapolis 500 victories each. Those drivers are AJ Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears and active driver Helio Castroneves.

Perhaps the most famous tradition connected to the Indy 500 is the victory lane celebration, which includes bottles of milk specially created for the winning driver and his team. The other most recognizable tradition involves the winning driver walking to the start-finish line to kiss the unique brick surface which makes the track stand out from others.

Over the years, many drivers have attempted to run the Indy 500 and the Coke 600 on the same day, but only Tony Stewart has successfully run the full 1,100 miles on the same day. This season it was Katherine Legge who made an attempt, but an early caution dashed those hopes.