Indianapolis 500 takeaways: Felix Rosenqvist wins history-making race

The 200-lap, 500-mile race came down to a one-lap dash after a caution for rookie Mick Schumacher on the previous restart with four laps left. The race appeared to be in the hands of Malukas, who established control coming out of Turn 1 in search of his first NTT IndyCar Series win at the famed "Yard of Bricks."

However, in what turned out to be a history-making day with 70 lead changes and the closest finish the track has ever seen, it was only fitting that it came down to one final pass at the finish line.

Malukas left devastated with his second consecutive runner-up finish in the 500-miler, but Rosenqvist will forever be an Indy 500 champion. The now two-time series winner becomes the third Swedish driver to win the race, joining Kenny Brack (1999) and Marcus Ericsson (2022).

Pato O'Ward comes up short again

The Mexican-born driver has always found himself in contention at the Indianapolis 500. He was in contention in 2023 before crashing out in the closing laps and lost the lead to Josef Newgarden on the final lap one year later.

On Sunday, he appeared to be on the correct strategy late, leaping ahead of the day's dominant drivers. Ultimately, he did not have the restart he needed on the final lap and had to settle for fourth.

O'Ward's day is going to come eventually. He has been too close so many times in this race and has done everything but drink the celebratory milk in victory lane. It was just not meant to be on Sunday.

Josef Newgarden's impressive drive ends with restart crash

For the second year in a row, Newgarden made quick work of the field in his drive toward the front from a 23rd-place starting spot. This time around, it was a rare mistake on a restart with 75 laps remaining that sent him hard into the outside wall and ended his day prematurely.

Last season, a mechanical failure halted Newgarden's progress and took him out of contention in his bid for a third straight Indianapolis 500 win. Sunday was another reminder of how difficult it is to win this race and that even the sport's best are not immune to making mistakes.

Katherine Legge finds trouble early 

Legge rolled off 26th as the sixth driver - and first female - to attempt "The Double," competing in the Indianapolis 500 before traveling to Charlotte for NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night.

It was over about as quick as it started when 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay lost control exiting Turn 2. Legge took evasive action, but lost control and careened off the inside wall just 18 laps into the race.

Legge was credited with a last-place finish in 33rd and will roll off 37th in the Coca-Cola 600 looking for a much better outcome than she got in the first of her two races in the "Double" attempt.