Josef Newgarden's bid to become the first driver to ever win the Indy 500 in three straight years got a bit more challenging when he was denied the opportunity to compete in Sunday's Top 12 qualifying session after setting the third fastest time on Saturday.
He was slated to start in 11th place, as the omission from the session came after Team Penske were found to have illegally modified the attenuator on his No. 2 Chevrolet. But further penalties resulted in Newgarden being set to 32nd.
Teammate Will Power, who was set to start 12th after receiving the same penalty for the same violation, was further dropped to 33rd in the 33-car field as well.
Newgarden is no longer the favorite to win the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
No driver has ever won the Indy 500 from worse than the 28th place starting position in 108 editions of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing", but the two-time reigning winner is still listed at +1000 at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Who are the drivers most likely to stop his three-peat attempt?
Top 5 drivers (not named Josef Newgarden) most likely to win the Indy 500
1. Pato O'Ward, Arrow McLaren (+500)
If anybody is due to win the Indy 500, it's Pato O'Ward, who has finished in the runner-up position in two of the last three years. Last year, it took an all-timer of a last lap move from Josef Newgarden to deny O'Ward the right to drink the milk. Can O'Ward capitalize on his first ever front row starting spot?
2. Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing (+600)
And if anybody is due to get his first oval win, it's Alex Palou. He placed second in his first Indy 500 attempt with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021, and he has been competitive every year since, racking up 14 more non-oval wins along the way. After winning four of the season's first five races, is this finally his year?
T-3. Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing (+900)
Nobody has led more laps in the Indy 500 than Scott Dixon has, yet he is still seeking his second win for the 17th year in a row. If the law of averages is to eventually pan out, you'd have to imagine that it will send the No. 9 Honda back to victory lane.
T-3. Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske (+900)
Scott McLaughlin is extra motivated this weekend after three of Team Penske's top men were fired as a result of the recent attenuator scandal. He is the reigning series oval champion and earned his best Indy 500 finish of sixth place from pole last year. Can he make it happen in a backup car frrom 10th on the grid?
5. Takuma Sato, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (+1000)
Takuma Sato has looked competitive in all conditions so far this month, and he is a two-time Indy 500 winner already. Both of his wins came from his best two starting positions: fourth in 2017 and third in 2020. This year, he is set to start in the middle of the front row in second.
Full odds can be found here and are always subject to change.
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