Why Pato O’Ward loves the Indy 500 track that hasn’t loved him back

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis 500 has broken the heart of Pato O’Ward the last few years. 

And yet, O’Ward’s heart still loves Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

O’Ward should hate this place after he was unable to pass Marcus Ericsson on the final lap three years ago and he settled for second.

O’Ward should hate this place after losing the lead to Josef Newgarden and then wrecking while battling Ericsson for second with eight laps remaining in 2023.

O’Ward should hate this place after Newgarden passed him for the lead on the final lap in 2024.

How can O’Ward love a place that hasn’t loved him back — at least in results?

“I have such great memories here,” O’Ward said. “And, obviously, there’s also some low ones that come with it. But that’s ultimately what’s made the emotion for this place so much stronger.

“It’s just so cool, man, the way that people embrace it. It’s the perfect definition of an event where the athletes, the gladiators, the drivers risk everything.”

The 26-year-old from Monterrey appears ready to risk everything once again as he starts on the outside of the front row for the 109th Indianapolis 500. Will 2025 end up being the year he ends his heartbreak?

The Arrow McLaren driver will try to use the lessons of previous oh-so-close attempts to finally end up where he believes he belongs. He views the race he lost last year as the most painful, partly because of the great move Newgarden made and also because of the heartbreak of the previous two seasons.

O’Ward believes he had a winning car each of the last two years.

“It’s obviously been tough to get the timing [of a final move] right, but that just makes you appreciate the opportunities that you have even more,” O’Ward said.

“And I know it’s going to make it so special when I win my Indy 500 because I don’t think you can grasp the meaning and the value of what it is to win an Indy 500 when you’ve just done it for your first year. … The more you’ve seen it, you can really see what that magic that everyone talks about is.”

Notice O’Ward said “when I win” the Indy 500. He has no doubts.

“I believe that I know how to place myself into an opportunity of having that shot,” O’Ward said. “And I’ve seen myself winning it. I see myself having that chance to experience that.

“That’s just the competitive racing driver in me. You have to believe it before you actually accomplish it. I hope it’s not a bad read.”

O’Ward’s boss, Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan, needed 11 starts in the Indy 500 before winning in his 12th start.

“Just being part of it, it’s pretty remarkable,” Kanaan said. “When you’re part of it, you know that you have a chance to win every time you come here. It becomes special and to me, I never actually blamed the place for my misfortunes.

“It’s one race. You have one shot every year, and as long as you’re being competitive, I think that’s all you can do. That’s why his love of this place is because he’s fast here. He knows he can win.”

Some drivers such as O’Ward who have had heartbreak wouldn’t talk about when they win. But O’Ward doesn’t just talk about it, he already has a plan for a win Sunday when it comes to his future helmets.

His helmet for the Indy 500 depicts the Aztec mythological creature Cipactli, a creature that is perpetually hungry and eats and eats and eats.

It signals O’Ward’s hunger for a win at Indianapolis.

“I’ve got his eyes here [at the top] and I will wear those eyes in that position in my helmets the rest of my career if I win on Sunday,” O’Ward said.

One might think that a driver without a win at Indianapolis (O’Ward has seven INDYCAR wins in his career) shouldn’t worry so much about a helmet. 

But O’Ward does have a slightly happy-go-lucky attitude in that he seems to genuinely enjoy everything Indianapolis has to offer.

“Why are you doing this if you’re not having fun?” O’Ward said. “I’m not saying that those guys don’t have fun, but we’re so privileged to be in this position and to also have a certain reach to a lot of people. And it can inspire a lot of people, and that’s what I’ve always strived for.

“We’re also here to make a difference, not just with how we perform in a race car. There’s so many more things that we can bring to the community. … We’re here to entertain. We’re here to have fun.”

O’Ward knows that when he races the 200 laps, he very well might not have fun for every second. But he’s certainly looking forward to the first few moments of the race.

“I can’t wait to get the green flag, have the best view that I’ve ever had starting an Indy 500,” O’Ward said. “There’s a lot of new excitement that I’ll be able to appreciate and experience.”

While he knows who will be the favorites, O’Ward admits he doesn’t know how the race will play out. Some of the top drivers in the sport have crashed during the last couple of weeks, as the cars appear more sketchy with an additional 100 pounds of weight at the rear of the car because of the hybrid engine that was introduced after the 500 last year.

But as he enters his sixth Indianapolis 500, O’Ward knows to expect the unexpected.

“Every year, I’m always amazed on just how an Indy 500 is never like the one prior to that,” O’Ward said. “They’re always different. All the ones I’ve been a part of, they’ve always been different.

“I expect people to be taking risks. Obviously, people are going to get caught out [on strategy]. There’s going to be surprises. It’s just going be gnarly. … There’s been so many accidents [this month]. You can really see everybody loves this place because of the amount of risk that you’re willing to take just to have that shot.”

If he takes the risk, shouldn’t the racing gods smile down on O’ward after the way they have treated him the last few years?

If the racing gods had the heart that O’Ward has for IMS, he should end up parking in the winner’s circle and drinking milk on Sunday afternoon.

“That’s what everyone says, but to be honest, just because you did well the previous year doesn’t mean you’re going to do well the next year,” O’Ward said. “And, for us, it’s just knowing that we’ve had these opportunities — just not because of luck but because we’ve proved to be strong around here.

“And it really feels like home every single year. I love coming back here. It’s really cool.”

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.

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