Indianapolis, IN

After unveiling Borg-Warner Trophy, Josef Newgarden says ‘I’ve never wanted to win (Indy 500) more’

Published

1 year ago

December 16, 2023

After unveiling Borg-Warner Trophy, Josef Newgarden says ‘I’ve never wanted to win (Indy 500) more’

INDIANAPOLIS — You could have argued that before Josef Newgarden’s last-lap Indianapolis 500 triumph May 28, the IndyCar veteran wanted — no, needed — to win the Greatest Spectacle in Racing more than anyone in the paddock.

He’ll tell you, however, his desire to win the Indy 500 has only increased.

“The high from winning is euphoric, and it’s just on another level compared to anything you’ll experience in motorsports – and it really motivates you,” said Newgarden, who helped unveil his face as the newest addition to the Borg-Warner Trophy Friday evening at the Stutz Museum in Indianapolis. “It motivates you to want to be the best and to do it again. For me, that probably hit different.

“It’s this hardship, where you put your heart and soul into an event across an entire month, a year – let alone 12 years – and never realizing the result you’re seeking; there’s so much sacrifice along that route. So it’s a huge relief for everyone. Now, having finally won it, I’ve never wanted to win it more, and I think that’s fascinating.”

The typically reserved, self-admitted introvert unleashed his emotions in a way a nearly-packed Indianapolis Motor Speedway crowd had not seen in the moments after his pass on defending champ Marcus Ericsson with just half a lap to go. Following a plan 12 years in the making, Newgarden parked his No. 2 Team Penske Chevy on the Yard of Bricks and sprinted for a relatively unknown gate in the fence.

His former Penske teammate Helio Castroneves had made his name by climbing the fence after each of his four victories in order to connect with the front stretch fans. Newgarden wanted to be squarely in their midst.

‘I was gonna win or end up in the wall’: Newgarden describes breakthrough Indy 500 win

“I’d dreamed of that moment. It’s impossible not to think about what it would be like to actually win the race,” he said Friday. “There’s nowhere else in the world in sports like the Indy 500. You don’t have the emotion, commitment, magnitude or amount of people there that day. It’s just indescribable.

“I just always felt that would be the coolest way to win the race, even though it didn’t go exactly how I thought it would.”

In his head, the over-zealous Newgarden thought he’d sprint all the way to the top of the lower grandstands as part of his ‘victory lap.’ In reality – as a cool video IMS officials aired Friday showed from stitched together footage of fans’ social media pages – he barely got a couple rows up.

“The fans here are just different. The culture? You can’t describe the Indy 500,” he continued. “It’s so special.”

Doyel: Josef Newgarden ‘was here to win’ Indy 500 despite chaos on track and in stands

And that’s why, Newgarden explained, he’s had a perspective change since that day in May.

To what’s often an annual question to drivers right around each 500, Newgarden had never previously given a straight answer: Would you rather win a 500 or a championship?

Even after having won two titles in three years from 2017-19, and still without that elusive 500 win until this May, Newgarden’s answer would always be a copout: “You want to win both.”

The passion, pageantry and history around the biggest win of his racing career to date, Newgarden said, has now provided a straight answer he’s confident will never change.

“I would hands down love to win an Indy 500 over a championship,” he admitted Friday. “It’s so difficult to get it right that single day and only have that one chance every year. It’s such a buildup, so much pressure, so much commitment that everyone puts in.

“After winning it, it’s crazy the effect it has on you. I can’t wait to get back there in May. I want to do it again, and I want to make it better than it was this past year. The 500 is definitely the crown jewel. It has the history and prestige, even moreso than the championship. It really is the most significant win on the year, and you feel that.”

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Indianapolis, IN

How the Colts can make the NFL playoffs

Published

7 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts’ playoff odds are at 10% according to the New York Times, and that seems high. Here is what to know:

The Colts are out of the playoffs if they lose to the Titans

This is pretty straightforward. If the Colts lose, the most games they can win this season is 8. Seven teams — Kansas City, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Houston, Los Angeles and Denver — already have nine wins.

The Colts can make the playoffs if they win out, Chargers lose out

If the Colts win out against the Titans, Giants and Jaguars, they’ll be 9-8. If the Chargers lose to the Raiders and Patriots. The Colts would win the conference record tiebreaker if they are the only two teams with nine wins.

There are multiple-team scenarios involving Los Angeles but the Colts will make the playoffs if these two scenarios happen.

How the Colts can make the playoffs if they win out and the Broncos lose out

If the Broncos lose to Cincinnati and Kansas City and the Colts win out, the Colts make the playoffs if Cincinnati or Miami win out or the Chargers lose out.

The Colts lose the head-to-head tiebreaker to Denver if its just those two teams.

If Los Angeles is also 9-8, it wins the division tiebreaker over the Broncos due to head-to-head and advances to the wild card tiebreaker.

In this scenario, the Colts and Dolphins would have the best conference record at 7-5, eliminating the other possible teams. Indianapolis beat Miami, putting them in the playoffs.

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Indianapolis, IN

Colts vs Titans TV coverage map in NFL Week 16

Published

14 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Colts vs Titans TV coverage map in NFL Week 16

The Indianapolis Colts host the Tennessee Titans in NFL Week 16 action as the Colts try to remain in the AFC playoff race.

The CBS game will be shown in only the Indianapolis and Nashville NFL markets. It will also air in much of Indiana, Illinois and Tennessee, and in parts of Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

When do the Colts play the Titans in NFL Week 16?

1 p.m. ET Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis

How to watch Colts vs Titans in NFL Week 16

CBS, with Tom McCarthy (play-by-play), and Ross Tucker and Jay Feely (analysis).

How to stream, watch Titans-Colts game for NFL Week 16

The Colts-Broncos matchup will stream on Paramount+ at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. The app is available in the Apple App Store or on Google Play. Fans can also download NFL+ in the Apple App Store or on Google Play.

Colts 2024 schedule

all times ET

Sept. 8: Texans 29, Colts 27

Sept. 15: Packers 16, Colts 10

Sept. 22: Colts 21, Bears 16

Sept. 29: Colts 27, Steelers 24

Oct. 6: Jaguars 37, Colts 34

Oct. 13: Colts 20, Titans 17

Oct. 20: Colts 16, Dolphins 10

Oct. 27: Texans 23, Colts 20

Nov. 3: Vikings 21, Colts 13

Nov. 10: Bills 30, Colts 20

Nov. 17: Colts 28, Jets 27

Nov. 24: Lions 24, Colts 6

Dec. 1: Colts 25, Patriots 24

Dec. 15: Broncos 31, Colts 13

Dec. 22: vs. Tennessee, 1 p.m., CBS

Dec. 29: at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m., Fox

Jan. 5: vs. Jacksonville, TBD

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Indianapolis, IN

Analyst Predicts Close Call Between Titans, Colts

Published

22 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Analyst Predicts Close Call Between Titans, Colts

The Tennessee Titans may be out of the playoff picture, but they find themselves in a big game against their AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts.

The Titans can play spoiler for the Colts, who need to win to hold onto their faint playoff hopes, by eliminating them from playoff contention in a win.

However, CBS Sports writer Pete Prisco doesn’t believe that will end up being the case. He predicts that the Colts will pull out a 24-17 win against the Titans.

“The Colts are alive in the playoff race — barely. The Titans are done and might be making a quarterback change. The Colts did some good things in losing to the Broncos last week in a game they should have won. They bounce back here. Colts take it,” Prisco writes.

The Titans are certainly an underdog considering the fact that they are on the road and have won only three games all year long.

However, we have seen how difficult it can be for divisional opponents to sweep a season series, and the Colts came away with the win when the two teams met in Nashville during Week 6.

The Titans are coming into the game with a massive chip on their shoulder and a new source of energy with Mason Rudolph taking over as the starting quarterback after Will Levis was demoted earlier in the week.

The Titans have the ingredients necessary for a win against the Colts, but they still have to execute their plan in order to leave Indy on a happy flight home to Tennessee.

The Titans and Colts are set to kickoff at 12 noon CT tomorrow inside Lucas Oil Stadium. The game can be watched on CBS or streamed on Paramount+.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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