INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 28: Alex Palou, driver of the #10 The American Legion Chip Ganassi … [+] Racing Honda, leads during the 107th Running of Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 28, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
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Business was booming for Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske at the 107th Indianapolis 500 as more the 330,000 spectators jammed into the facility watch Sunday’s epic race.
It was the largest crowd to attend the Indianapolis 500 since 350,000 fans were part of the sold-out race for the 100th running in 2016.
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The Indianapolis 500 purse record was shattered for the second year in a row after a monumentally successful 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, with race winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske earning $3.666 million from a total purse of $17,021,500.
“This is the greatest race in the world, and it was an especially monumental Month of May featuring packed grandstands and intense on-track action,” Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said. “Now, we have the best end card possible for the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 — a record breaking purse for the history books.”
After record-breaking payouts in 2022, this is the largest purse and largest winner’s payout in the century-plus history of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
The year’s average payout for NTT IndyCar Series drivers was $500,600, which also exceeds last year’s average of $485,000. In 2022, the Indianapolis 500 purse was $16,000,200 and the year’s winner payout was $3.1 million.
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Prior to 2022, the largest Indianapolis 500 purse was $14.4 million for the 2008 Indianapolis 500.
Second-place finisher Marcus Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing took home $1.043 million, exceeding the take-home prize for last year’s second-place finisher.
The Month of May was full of major milestones as Indianapolis Motor Speedway welcomed more than 330,000 fans to the Racing Capital of the World for Sunday’s race, making it the second-largest Indianapolis 500 crowd in more than two decades.
A.J. Foyt Enterprises’ Benjamin Pedersen earned Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honors for his performance during the Month of May. Pedersen earned a $50,000 bonus for being named Rookie of the Year, adding to a total take-home prize of $215,300.
The Indianapolis 500 purse consists of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NTT IndyCar Series awards, plus other designated and special awards.
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Purse awards are presented annually at the Victory Celebration, held this year at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis Monday night.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 29: Josef Newgarden, driver of the #2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, kisses … [+] the Borg-Warner Trophy during the 107th Indianapolis 500 champion’s portraits at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 29, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts today released their Thursday injury report for Week 12 of the NFL season ahead of their Sunday game against the Detroit Lions.
Left tackle Bernhard Raimann missed practice again today due to a knee injury. Raimann has now missed both practices this week and looks like a major doubt for Sunday’s game. Raimann looks increasingly likely to miss a second game in a row due to his knee injury. If he is unable to play then expect rookie tackle Matt Goncalves to take his place at left tackle again as he did last week against the New York Jets.
Defensive end Tyquan Lewis (elbow) was a full participant at practice again today. Lewis spoke to the media today and said he was unsure if he would return this week but two practices in and his chances are looking very positive.
Right tackle Braden Smith (foot) was a full participant today at practice despite being limited yesterday. Smith looks set to be available for Sunday’s game against the Lions despite the limited practice yesterday. Smith should be available barring any late changes in practice tomorrow.
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Corner back Kenny Moore (knee) and wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr (back) and Josh Downs (calf) were all full participants at practice today despite being listed with injuries. Moore and Downs are new additions to the injury report today after not being listed yesterday but both being able to practice fully doesn’t look like the injuries will affect their availability for Sunday.
On Thursday morning, ahead of the team’s Week 12 matchup with the Detroit Lions, the Indianapolis Colts announced a pair of practice squad moves.
The Colts will be bringing back a familiar face in offensive lineman Mark Glowinski and released cornerback Tre Flowers as the corresponding move in order to make room for this addition.
Glowinski is an experienced player, appearing in 124 career games, which includes 96 starts. He was with the Colts specifically from 2017-2021, along with also playing in Seattle from 2015-2017 and most recently with the New York Giants in 2022-2023.
Of Glowinski’s 124 NFL games, 59 came with the Indianapolis Colts.
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Glowinski has spent most of his NFL career playing right guard, but did spend some time at left guard with the Giants last season.
Most recently, he would go on to play 520 offensive snaps during the 2023 season, allowing six sacks and 17 pressures, although he graded out decently well as a run-blocker, according to PFF’s metrics.
The Colts are stockpiling offensive linemen on the practice squad, with Glowinski now the fifth member of that position group.
As of Thursday morning, left tackle Bernhard Raimann was on the Wednesday injury report as a non-participant as he still deals with a knee injury and right tackle Braden Smith was listed as a limited participant with a foot injury.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A charity of billionaire Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, have given a $2.5 million grant to an Indianapolis-based nonprofit health care provider that helps communities that are underserved and people who are homeless.
HealthNet Inc. announced the grant Wednesday in a news release. Kay Wiles, director of HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program, said in a statement that the money will help the nonprofit “refashion services for families, reducing the time they experience homelessness” in Indianapolis.
A news release from HealthNet said, “Specifically, HealthNet plans to use its funds to implement a ‘no wrong door’ approach for families experiencing homelessness. With an entry point team versed in housing problem-solving and the array of resources available to help families rapidly exit homelessness, HealthNet will increase family housing stability planning, streamlined connections to housing solutions, and creative collaboration among family shelter providers. These funds will have permanent impact.”
HealthNet has at least eight health centers in Indianapolis, and a location in Bloomington.
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The release also cited a 2024 report that says 34 affordable housing units are available for every 100 low-income households in Indiana, and 76% of Hoosiers spend more than half their income on housing.
Bezos, the founder of Amazon, for seven years has given grants to organizations working with families that are homeless. Experts on family homelessness helped chose recipients of grants from Bezos; Day 1 Families Fund. Bezos and Sánchez have been in a relationship for five years, getting engaged in May 2023. Sánchez said Wednesday morning in a media interview she’s in the midst of wedding planning.
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