Indianapolis 500 Sees Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson Win After Red Flag Delay

Bruce Haring
·1 min read
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An all-time finish in the Indianapolis 500 saw a red flag halting the race with just four laps to go, setting up a sprint to the finish that saw Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson fend off a late charge to win.

The first Indy 500 in front of a full capacity crowd at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2019 saw a yellow flag come out on the final lap, but Ericsson was already in command.

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“I was praying so hard that there was not going to be another yellow flag,” Ericsson said after his win. “But I can’t believe it. I’m so happy.” Ericsson becomes the second Swedish driver to win the Indianapolis 500, joining 1999 winner Kenny Brack.

Ericsson took control of Sunday’s race late and had it under control for Chip Ganassi Racing until a crash by teammate Jimmie Johnson with four laps remaining brought out a rare red-flag stoppage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

That set up a dynamic finish. The stoppage gave the trailing cars time to strategize on how to overtake Ericsson. The race resumed with two laps, and managed to hold on for the victory. It is the fifth Indy 500 victory for team owner Chip Ganassi

IMS owner Roger Penske (father of PMC  Chairman/CEO Jay Penske) purchased IMS in early 2020. The pandemic pushed the race to August that year with no fans in the stands. The race went on in 2021 during its usual Memorial Day weekend, but with limited fan capacity.

Before the race, Roger Penske penned a letter posted on social media.

Dear Indy 500 fans,

Welcome to one of the greatest days of the year – Indianapolis 500 Race day. We are so excited to open our doors wide at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and welcome all of our fans back to experience “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

For the first time since 2019, there will be a full capacity crowd in attendance to watch the Indianapolis 500, and I know our NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams and drivers will put on a great show. With more than 325,000 fans joining us today at IMS, we are proud to once again host the world’s largest single-day sporting event.

There is nothing like the excitement, pageantry and tradition of Indy 500 Race Day. On Memorial day weekend, there is no greater Indianapolis 500 tradition than honoring our nation’s heroes as we salute the men and women of our armed forces.

Our IMS team has been working hard to make sure that everything is ready, and we look forward to providing a world-class experience at the Speedway as we welcome all of our guests back with open arms.

Thank you for your passion and your dedication to our sport and the Indianapolis 500. We are so happy and grateful to welcome you all Back Home Again.

Sincerely,

Roger Penske

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