Rain delayed the start of the 108th Indianapolis 500 and disrupted what could have been a historic run for rookie Kyle Larson. Larson was attempting The Double, racing 1,100 miles in one day with the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600.
Six Rookies Joined the Race
Rookies generally pull long odds for any race, but star Kyle Larson is the exception at +650.
| The Rookies | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | McLaren | +650 |
| Christian Rasmussen | Ed Carpenter Racing | +5000 |
| Linus Lundqvist | Ganassi | +6000 |
| Mark Armstrong | Ganassi | +6500 |
| Kyffin Simpson | Ganassi | +7500 |
| Tom Blomqvist | Meyer Shank Racing | +35000 |
Kyle Larson had the shortest odds of any rookie to win the Indy 500 and was the most bet driver to win. He also had the shortest odds of winning NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He was trying to become only the second driver to complete all 1,100 miles of The Double in one day.
The weather was not on his side, as a rain delay caused the Indy 500 to end too late for Larson to get to the Coca-Cola 600 in time to start. Still, Larson took two helicopters and a short plane ride to get to Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina. He took over for Justin Allgaier, who started the race for Larson. Unfortunately, he didn’t even drive one lap as rain caused a delay and eventually ended the NASCAR race.
Kyffin Simpson is not yet a well-known racing name, especially in Kyle Larson’s shadow, but the 19-year-old shows consistency. He finished 12th and 15th this season and had starting position 18th in this race. Unfortunately, he finished 21st, but don’t count him out. Betting fans should watch how he develops over the coming months and years.
Top Ten Odds
Scott McLaughlin started with the pole position but dropped down to 6th place to finish the race. He shared the first row with Will Power and Josef Newgarden.
Will Power lost control of his car on Turn 1, causing a hard impact on the wall, taking out his front tire and ending his bid to win his second Indy 500.
Colton Herta was one of the other drivers who crashed out, along with Linus Lindqvist, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Marco Andretti. Herta has never finished better than 8th, but his odds were +165 to finish in the top five this time.
Pato O’Ward is still looking for his first Indy 500 win. He’s been close, finishing fourth in 2021 and second in 2022. Last year, he led for a race-high 39 laps before crashing out with only seven laps to go. This year might have been his closest finish as he overtook the lead driver, Josef Newgarden, in Turn 1 of the last lap, only to have Newgarden overtake him in Turn 3 and win moments later. O’Ward was understandably upset after the race, having yet another Indy 500 win slip through his fingers.
Hélio Castroneves attempted to become the first driver to win the Indy 500 for a fifth time, but he could not even finish in the top 10. He was 20th.
Josef Newgarden had his final pit stop on lap 171 to change tires and top up his fuel. He battled with O’Ward and Alexander Rossi for the lead until the final ten laps, where he kept the lead just ahead of O’Ward. Newgarden crossed the finish line first, netting his second consecutive Indy 500 win. Castroneves was the last racer to win back-to-back Indy 500s in 2001 and 2002.
Starting
| Driver | Odds | Row Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott McLaughlin | +450 | 1 | 6 |
| Josef Newgarden | +500 | 1 | 1 |
| Kyle Larson | +650 | 2 | 18 |
| Will Power | +650 | 1 | 24 |
| Pato O’Ward | +900 | 3 | 2 |
| Alexander Rossi | +1000 | 2 | 4 |
| Alex Palou | +1100 | 5 | 5 |
| Rinus VeeKay | +1600 | 3 | 9 |
| Scott Dixon | +1600 | 7 | 3 |
| Colton Herta | +1800 | 5 | 23 |
Katherine Legge, on the Dale Coyne Racing team, was the only woman in the race. She had the longest odds of +50,000 and started on row 11, the last row. Legge had mechanical issues and finished in 29th place.
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