It’s Memorial Day weekend, which means that, in Indianapolis, it’s one of the most storied racing days of them all. Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host the 108th installment of the Indy 500 on Sunday. Scott McLaughlin has grabbed the pole position thanks to a speed of 234.220 mph in qualifying. In fact, Team Penske has all three front-row spots, as Josef Newgarden and Will Power will join him. Newgarden is the defending champion, and Helio Castroneves hopes to become the first driver ever to win five editions of this race. NASCAR’s Kyle Larson will be the first driver since 2014 to try “Double Duty” by driving in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 (at Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina) on the same day. Larson qualified in fifth for Sunday’s Indy 500. Let’s take a look at the IndyCar Betting odds for each driver as well as an in-depth look at some smart wagers and the race itself.
IndyCar Betting The 108th Running of the Indy 500 | Motor Sports Odds
Will Kyle Larson really pull off the double race? Will he really race 1,100 miles in one day? He has a legitimate shot at winning both if he can do it. The green flag is 12:45 pm ET for the Indy 500, but the weather forecast for Sunday morning in Indianapolis could push the starting time back. That begs the question of whether he would abandon the car during a delayed race, or just withdraw, to get to the Coca-Cola 600. In order to make the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, he has to start all 26 regular-season races. Team owner Rick Hendrick will make the ultimate decision. The weather in Indiana can be unpredictable, so it’s a decision that will not happen until Sunday morning. And while Larson is the first driver since 2014 to attempt the double, if he pulls it off, he’ll be the first driver in 24 years to finish both. Tony Stewart pulled off the double back in 2001 – and he gave Larson his first car in NASCAR back in 2014.
Josef Newgarden won the 2023 edition thanks to a highlight-reel pass in the last lap. The race was filled with intrigue with several caution and three red flags. Fourteen drivers led at least a single lap, and four drivers held the lead for at least 30 laps. Newgarden’s win was just his second trip to the podium in a dozen starts at this venerable track. He started in 17th on the grid but benefited from a late caution to slide up into the lead. His position in the grid is one that has delivered 13 wins in the race’s history, second only to the 21 wins for drivers racing out of pole position. He has a total of 15 victories on paved tracks, including four at World Wide Technology Raceway, three at Texas Motor Speedway, six in Iowa and his win last year at Indy.
Looking for a long shot? Check out Santino Ferrucci. He will race out of sixth position and is the only driver in the first two rows of the grid who are not at or near the top of the odds list. He has started five races at the Indianapolis Oval, cracking the top ten each time. In 2023, he had his best career finish, coming in third. He has never won a race in 64 starts, but last year’s podium finish here was the first in his career. Five drivers have won this race starting in the sixth position on the grid.
An interesting prop is to have both Larson and Newgarden finish in the top five, which you can get for +225 at several books. Larson grabbed fifth in the equalifying, and if he can keep that speed up, a top-five result would be far from a surprise. In his 13 NASCAR races this season, he has six top-five results, including a victory in Las Vegas. In 2021, Larson held the lead for 327 laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway and won out of the pole position. Newgarden has an excellent shot given his starting position, and he has three top-five results in his last five entries at the Indy 500.
ONLY IN #INDYCAR.
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) May 26, 2024
ONLY AT THE #INDY500.
THIS IS — AND ALWAYS WILL BE — THE GREATEST SPECTACLE IN RACING! pic.twitter.com/NA0PxYhm5t
Bet IndyCar Today
Xbet Betting Lines for the Indy 500
IndyCar Betting Odds
Love betting on the Auto Racing? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date Auto Racing Lines for all races
