Key keywords: Josef Newgarden, 2024 Indy 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, final pre-race practice, IndyCar Series, two-time defending Indy 500 champion, Team Penske, open-wheel motorsports, pole position Two-time defending Indianapolis 500 champion Josef Newgarden delivered an unmistakable warning to his 2024 rivals on Friday, after he posted the fastest lap time in the final official pre-race practice session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Team Penske driver clocked an average lap speed of 230.123 mph, edging out Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon by 0.087 seconds and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward by 0.112 seconds in the 90-minute session, which was held under sweltering conditions with track temperatures hitting 112 degrees Fahrenheit to replicate the expected race day environment for Sunday’s 108th running of the iconic event. Newgarden, who pilots the No. 2 Chevrolet for Penske, has already cemented his place in Indy 500 lore with back-to-back wins in 2022 and 2023, and is now aiming to become just the third driver in the race’s 113-year history to claim three consecutive victories, joining legends Wilbur Shaw (1939-1941) and Lou Meyer (1928-1930) in the exclusive record books. Speaking to reporters after the practice run, Newgarden made no effort to downplay his team’s momentum. “Everyone in this field should know we’re here to take the win, no exceptions,” he said. “This practice wasn’t a one-off fast lap – we tested our setup in clean air, in heavy lapped traffic, and in the worst of the midday heat, and the car performed perfectly every time. We fixed the small handling glitches we saw during qualifying last weekend, and we’re ready to go 500 miles hard on Sunday.” The 2024 Indy 500 is set to draw more than 350,000 in-person fans to the Speedway’s grandstands and infield, with a global television audience of over 10 million viewers tuning in across 150 countries. The total prize pool for this year’s event exceeds $18 million, with the race winner set to take home an estimated $3 million plus additional performance bonuses. While Newgarden has emerged as the clear pre-race favorite, analysts note that the Indy 500 is notoriously unpredictable, with lapped traffic, pit stop errors, and unexpected caution periods often upending even the most well-prepared teams’ plans. Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, who finished second in the final practice, told reporters he expects a tight battle from start to finish. “Josef is fast, but there are at least 10 other cars in this field that are within half a second of his pace,” Dixon said. “No one is going to run away with this race – it’s going to be a fight every single lap.”