O’Ward’s relationship with Indy 500 like “your first love”

Credit: Matt Fraver

Pato O’Ward has opened up about his complicated relationship with the Indianapolis 500, which has seen him bitterly come close to but lose out on victory on multiple occasions.

The Arrow McLaren superstar has twice finished second on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval and was classified third last year. Aside from a crash when competing for the win in 2023, he has not finished any of his six 500 appearances worse than sixth.

“It reminds you a bit of your first love,” he said. “Even if you run into them again, you’re like: ‘Maybe it works now?’ It’s beyond anything feeling wise that I’ve ever experienced in my career with any other place and any other facility. Every time I come through here, it is special and I do get goosebumps every time, which I didn’t when I first started coming here.”

O’Ward’s bout of heartbreak at the Speedway started with his first attempt in 2019, when he failed to qualify with Carlin. He went on to make his debut the following year, though in the August-run 500 without fans due to the pandemic.

“I feel like I got robbed because I had it in COVID year,” O’Ward said of his rookie 500. “So the magic that is the Indy 500, I didn’t get to experience [that] because there’s no people here. But I would say every single year, there’s been more and more and more people every time and it just keeps getting better and better and better.”

Credit: Matt Fraver

The greatest anguish since his maiden campaign at the Speedway came in 2024, when he was passed for the lead in Turn 3 on the final lap by Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, who secured his second successive 500 crown in dramatic fashion as a result.

But the crushing low moments will make the greatest high all the sweeter, should it come this month or beyond.

“It’s all about what this place has made you feel,” O’Ward said. “I feel like a little bit of what brings back memories and feelings is probably a little bit of what you see when fans are so passionate about a certain driver. 

“I think it just comes down to what they’ve experienced and what they’ve seen and what they’ve made them feel. That’s a little bit me here. Yeah, we’ve been oh so close.”