Indianapolis — Two one hundredths of a second.
That’s how close Bloomfield Hills-based, 89-year-old Roger Penske came to winning his 21st Indianapolis 500 Sunday — and to his 24-year-old Team Penske phenom David Malukas winning his first.
In the tightest finish in the 110-year history of the Indy 500, Malukas and his No. 12 Chevrolet-powered IndyCar was passed by Honda-powered Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist in the final stretch before the green flag in a wild, rain-interrupted, yellow flag-marred, 200-mph-pass-fest over 500 miles. The win was popular one for 34-year-old Swede Rosenqvist, one of the most-liked drivers in the paddock, but a heartbreaker for Malukas who just joined Team Penske this year.
“I mean, I don’t know what else we could have done,” a tearful Malukas said afterwards. “We were the fastest car that whole race. I don’t know. I gave it 150%, I almost crashed this car every damn lap and we still end up with a P2. I just can’t believe it. I don’t know what else I can give.”
FELIX ROSENQVIST WINS THE CLOSEST FINISH IN INDY 500 HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/BBGobsgX3I
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) May 24, 2026
Malukas’ near-perfect performance confirmed his choice as a next-generation driver after Penske chose him to replace IndyCar legend Will Power for the 2026 season. After qualifying third, Malukas ran a consistent race in the top five all day while his more experienced Penske mates, two-time Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin, battled through the field to join him at the front.
McLaughlin finished third while Newgarden — after surging through the field from 23rd in qualifying to fourth place — hit the wall hard on Lap 125 and retired from the race.
Reigning Indy 500 champion — and IndyCar series champion — Alex Palou looked poised for a repeat as he ran up front all day with Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon and the three Team Penske Musketeers shadowing him as the race went past halfway. But Newgarden’s crash reset the field under a long yellow period.
While Team Penske stayed on their planned pit strategy, Rosenqvist and McLaren driver Pato O’Ward gambled on a fuel-saving strategy — declining to make a final pit stop in the hopes of beating the field to the checkered flag.
Sometimes running 15 mph-a-lap slower to save fule, they tried to stay ahead while the freshly-topped-up Palou-Malukas-McLaughlin-Dixon train hunted them down. The race reset again with just eight laps to go when two consecutive accidents bunched the field up for a mad, one-lap dash to the finish.
Rosenqvist won the drag race. O’Ward finished fourth after McLaughlin stormed from eight to third on the last lap. Palou slid to seventh.
“I give everything to this team,” said Malukas, who posed with family on the grid ahead of the race next to his front-row car. “We’re gonna come back again, though. We’re going to give it a 160% next time. Thank you everybody here. Incredible race. Thank you Team Penske, thank you Roger Penske for believing in me when no one else did.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Roger Penske just misses record 21st Indy 500 win