INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis 500 has damaged the guts of Pato O’Ward the previous couple of years.
And but, O’Ward’s coronary heart nonetheless loves Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
O’Ward ought to hate this place after he was unable to cross Marcus Ericsson on the ultimate lap three years in the past and he settled for second.
O’Ward ought to hate this place after dropping the result in Josef Newgarden after which wrecking whereas battling Ericsson for second with eight laps remaining in 2023.
O’Ward ought to hate this place after Newgarden handed him for the lead on the ultimate lap in 2024.
How can O’Ward love a spot that hasn’t beloved him again — not less than in outcomes?
“I’ve such nice reminiscences right here,” O’Ward mentioned. “And, clearly, there’s additionally some low ones that include it. However that is in the end what’s made the emotion for this place a lot stronger.
“It’s simply so cool, man, the best way that individuals embrace it. It is the proper definition of an occasion the place the athletes, the gladiators, the drivers threat every thing.”
The 26-year-old from Monterrey seems able to threat every thing as soon as once more as he begins on the surface of the entrance row for the 109th Indianapolis 500. Will 2025 find yourself being the yr he ends his heartbreak?
The Arrow McLaren driver will attempt to use the teachings of earlier oh-so-close makes an attempt to end up the place he believes he belongs. He views the race he misplaced final yr as probably the most painful, partly due to the good transfer Newgarden made and in addition due to the heartbreak of the earlier two seasons.
O’Ward believes he had a profitable automotive every of the final two years.
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“It’s clearly been powerful to get the timing [of a final move] proper, however that simply makes you respect the alternatives that you’ve got much more,” O’Ward mentioned.
“And I do know it’ll make it so particular once I win my Indy 500 as a result of I do not assume you may grasp the that means and the worth of what it’s to win an Indy 500 while you’ve simply finished it in your first yr. … The extra you have seen it, you may actually see what that magic that everybody talks about is.”
Discover O’Ward mentioned “once I win” the Indy 500. He has no doubts.
“I imagine that I understand how to position myself into a chance of getting that shot,” O’Ward mentioned. “And I’ve seen myself profitable it. I see myself having that probability to expertise that.
“That is simply the aggressive racing driver in me. It’s a must to imagine it earlier than you really accomplish it. I hope it isn’t a foul learn.”
O’Ward’s boss, Arrow McLaren workforce principal Tony Kanaan, wanted 11 begins within the Indy 500 earlier than profitable in his twelfth begin.
“Simply being a part of it, it is fairly outstanding,” Kanaan mentioned. “If you’re a part of it, that you’ve got an opportunity to win each time you come right here. It turns into particular and to me, I by no means really blamed the place for my misfortunes.
“It is one race. You’ve one shot yearly, and so long as you are being aggressive, I believe that is all you are able to do. That is why his love of this place is as a result of he’s quick right here. He is aware of he can win.”
Some drivers akin to O’Ward who’ve had heartbreak wouldn’t discuss once they win. However O’Ward doesn’t simply discuss it, he already has a plan for a win Sunday on the subject of his future helmets.
His helmet for the Indy 500 depicts the Aztec mythological creature Cipactli, a creature that’s perpetually hungry and eats and eats and eats.
It alerts O’Ward’s starvation for a win at Indianapolis.
“I’ve obtained his eyes right here [at the top] and I’ll put on these eyes in that place in my helmets the remainder of my profession if I win on Sunday,” O’Ward mentioned.
One would possibly assume {that a} driver with out a win at Indianapolis (O’Ward has seven INDYCAR wins in his profession) should not fear a lot a couple of helmet.
However O’Ward does have a barely happy-go-lucky perspective in that he appears to genuinely take pleasure in every thing Indianapolis has to supply.
“Why are you doing this when you’re not having enjoyable?” O’Ward mentioned. “I am not saying that these guys haven’t got enjoyable, however we’re so privileged to be on this place and to even have a sure attain to lots of people. And it may encourage lots of people, and that is what I’ve all the time strived for.
“We’re additionally right here to make a distinction, not simply with how we carry out in a race automotive. There’s so many extra issues that we are able to convey to the group. … We’re right here to entertain. We’re right here to have enjoyable.”
O’Ward is aware of that when he races the 200 laps, he very nicely may not have enjoyable for each second. However he’s definitely trying ahead to the primary few moments of the race.
“I can not wait to get the inexperienced flag, have one of the best view that I’ve ever had beginning an Indy 500,” O’Ward mentioned. “There’s plenty of new pleasure that I will be capable of respect and expertise.”
Whereas he is aware of who would be the favorites, O’Ward admits he would not know the way the race will play out. A number of the prime drivers within the sport have crashed over the last couple of weeks, because the automobiles seem extra sketchy with a further 100 kilos of weight on the rear of the automotive due to the hybrid engine that was launched after the five hundred final yr.
However as he enters his sixth Indianapolis 500, O’Ward is aware of to count on the sudden.
“Yearly, I am all the time amazed on simply how an Indy 500 isn’t just like the one previous to that,” O’Ward mentioned. “They’re all the time totally different. All those I have been part of, they’ve all the time been totally different.
“I count on folks to be taking dangers. Clearly, individuals are going to get caught out [on strategy]. There’s going to be surprises. It is simply going be gnarly. … There’s been so many accidents [this month]. You possibly can actually see everyone loves this place due to the quantity of threat that you just’re keen to take simply to have that shot.”
If he takes the chance, shouldn’t the racing gods smile down on O’ward after the best way they’ve handled him the previous couple of years?
If the racing gods had the guts that O’Ward has for IMS, he ought to find yourself parking within the winner’s circle and consuming milk on Sunday afternoon.
“That is what everybody says, however to be sincere, simply since you did nicely the earlier yr doesn’t suggest you are going to do nicely the subsequent yr,” O’Ward mentioned. “And, for us, it is simply realizing that we have had these alternatives — simply not due to luck however as a result of we have proved to be robust round right here.
“And it actually looks like dwelling each single yr. I like coming again right here. It is actually cool.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent many years masking motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seaside) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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