The five closest Indy 500 finishes in history

The ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ continues to live up to its name up with some truly astonishing finishes over the years, while also having a race in 1913 where the margin of victory was over 13 minutes between first and second…

It’s should come as no surprise that in this increasingly competitive modern age with fields closer than they’ve ever been before, three of the five closest finishes in Indy 500 history have taken place in the last 12 years. 

But this year marked the closest ever, besting a record that had stood for over three decades as Felix Rosenqvist charged from third to first on the final lap to win the Indianapolis 500.

Take a look at how he did it, and the other nail-biting finishes from IndyCar’s crown jewel event:

2026 — Felix Rosenqvist defeats David Malukas by 0.023s

The 110th running of the Indy 500 turned into a one-lap dash that has already solidified itself as one of the most iconic finishes in the history of the race. Rosenqivst restarted third behind Malukas and Meyer Shank Racing teammate Marcus Armstrong, with Malukas quickly taking the lead. Rosenqvist actually touched tires with Armstrong as he pulled to his outside, and they spent the majority of the lap wheel-to-wheel. While that appeared to advantage Malukas, the fact that Rosenqvist had non-stop clean air in that higher groove allowed him to build up some momentum through Turns 3 and 4. He drafted off the back of Malukas, flicked the wheel to the right, and pulled off an impressive slingshot for the closest finish ever in the 115-year history of IndyCar’s crown jewel event.

1992 — Al Unser Jr. defeats Scott Goodyear by  0.043s

This year’s finish dethrones a record that had stood for 34 years. ‘Little Al’ had the lead, but Goodyear was following in his tire tracks for the entire final lap. He had a huge run out of the final corner, pulling to the inside just as they reached the yard of bricks. It was the younger Unser’s first of two Indy 500 wins, and for Goodyear, that was as close as he ever got to racing immortality. 

Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport Honda celebrates

Photo by: Jay Alley

Ah yes, Captain America vs. Spiderman in the battle of the yellow cars. The race went green with just six laps to go, with Hunter-Reay nearly taking to the grass to snatch the lead from Castroneves with four laps to go. They continued to swap-draft with Hunter-Reay taking the lead on the outside at the white flag. Castroneves spent the entire final lap building up a run, but he couldn’t quite get there as the checkered flag flew. Despite a tough loss in 2014, Castroneves would eventually get his record-tying fourth Indy 500 win seven years later.

2006 — Sam Hornish Jr. defeats Marco Andretti by 0.063s

Sam Hornish Jr. takes the checkered flag ahead of Marco Andretti

The most infamous example of the ‘Andretti Curse’ as no member of the Andretti family has won an Indy 500 since Mario did so in 1969. In 2006, his grandson Marco was a rookie in IndyCar, and he held a good lead in the closing moment of that year’s Indy 500. Hornish threw it under Andretti into Turn 3 with two laps to go, but had to lift or they both would have crashed. That appeared to be race over, but Hornish managed to draft his way back up to him, pulling underneath the rookie just a few hundred feet from the finish line, stealing the win from the third-generation racer. Marco would go on to start 20 Indy 500s before retiring, but never got to taste the milk. 

Josef Newgarden wins

Photo by: Justin Casterline / Getty Images

Another one-lap dash in 2023, with Ericsson attempting to win the Indy 500 for the second consecutive year. Behind him was one of the most aggressive oval aces in the sport. Newgarden was charging fast, and even as Ericsson swerved to the apron on the backstretch in a desperate effort to break the draft, it wasn’t enough. Newgarden shot around the outside and cleared him entering Turn 3. Ericsson was coming back at him, and Newgarden wildly swerved down the track, disappearing behind the pit wall before coming back up the track on the frontstretch. He continued to serpentine all the way to the line, winning the race. He denied Ericsson back-to-back Indy 500 wins, but Newgarden himself would accomplish the feat the following year.

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