The best Indianapolis 500 finish could be subjective, depending on which driver a fan was rooting for to win.
It certainly is in the eye of the beholder.
So take this list for what it’s worth. One view of the 10 best finishes in Indianapolis 500 history. Of course, it skews to more recent decades when the runs have come a little faster and the finishes have had a tendency to be a little closer.
We’ll add one each day to this list of fantastic finishes ahead of the 110th running of the Indy 500 on May 24 (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX).
10. Ericsson Outduels O’Ward (2022)
After a red flag, Marcus Ericsson held off Pato O’Ward in a two-lap shootout. The shootout didn’t last two laps, though, as there was a crash on the final lap behind them. Ericsson had a comfortable lead when the red flag came out for a crash with four laps to go, a situation where in past Indianapolis 500 races, they likely would have ended the race under caution with Ericsson as the winner.
9. Foyt Survives Chaos (1967)
How does a driver who wins by two laps end up on this list? It’s because the win nearly didn’t happen on the last lap. A big crash with cars and debris littering the frontstretch just ahead of Foyt as he came to the checkered flag forced him to navigate through the wreckage for the win.
8. Sato Can’t Catch Franchitti (2012)
This was one of those finishes where the leader holds on for the win, but boy did the leader have to hold on. Takuma Sato tried to pass Dario Franchitti early on the final lap but to no avail and Franchitti sped off for the victory. This was one of those Indy 500s that made you hold your breath all the way to the checkered flag.
7. A 0.16-Second Winning Margin (1982)
Gordon Johncock held onto the lead as Rick Mears tried to duck to the inside as they crossed the start-finish line with one lap to go. And then he did it again coming to the checkered flag, winning by just 0.16 seconds. It was Johncock’s second Indy 500 win and certainly the most nail-biting — his first came in a rain-shortened race nine years earlier.
6. Newgarden’s Controversial Win (2023)
Josef Newgarden, in a one-lap dash to the finish following a red flag, passed leader Marcus Ericsson on the backstretch to win. One of the most controversial race finishes was also one of the most exciting race finishes. Ericsson (see No. 10 on this list) couldn’t hold on for the win this time, and the debate over whether to red flag an Indy 500 in order to get a green-flag finish continued.
5. Fittipaldi Battles Unser Jr. (1989)
Emerson Fittipaldi and Al Unser Jr. staged an epic battle over the final laps, a battle that ended with Unser in the wall on Lap 199. Yes, this race ended under caution, but the path to get there was awesome. Fittipaldi and Unser were the class of the field so much that even though Unser didn’t complete the final two laps, he still finished second.
4. Hildebrand Crashes On Final Turn (2011)
This was a great finish in the sense of surprise and agony of defeat. J.R. Hildebrand appeared to be on his way to winning the 2011 Indy 500 when he crashed in the final turn, allowing Dan Wheldon to pass for the win. It was one of the most unbelievable finishes for sure.
3. Newgarden Stiffles O’Ward (2024)
For the second consecutive year, Josef Newgarden won on a last-lap pass, this time breaking the heart of Pato O’Ward by passing him on the outside in Turn 3. This will be a race talked about for both drivers as they seek to win in 2026.
