It's been called one of the crazier finishes in Indianapolis 500 history when Josef Newgarden used "The Dragon" and ducked below the pit entry line along the start of the front straight, and then rocketed his No. 2 Chevy to the right back up onto the racing surface. This maneuver secured Newgarden's victory over Marcus Ericsson, but it's now also been banned from any future races.
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Under the new rules, IndyCar president Jay Frye said that it will police against the defensive maneuver, giving instructions to all drivers to avoid racing inside the pit entry line that extends from the attenuator back to Turn 4.
"We're going to officiate that line," Frye told RACER. "So think of what Newgarden did when he went below that line going into pit-in. That would be illegal in '24. He certainly did nothing wrong in '23, but this is what you do as a series when it comes to officiating. Things happen, and you have to react."
Using this maneuver Newgarden was hoping to break the aerodynamic draft behind him so Ericsson couldn't achieve a late run and steal the win. The move paid off, with Newgarden winning the Indy 500.
"Something happened, and it was a little aggressive, which is the best way to put it," Frye said. "So we're going to take that opportunity to be aggressive by going low towards the pits away when they're coming out of Turn 4."
After the rule change was announced, Newgarden took to X to comment.
This is the right move for the future! Boundaries are meant to be pushed, and rules are meant to push back! You should expect to see additional rule changes that will help reign in other driving standards at Indy, without removing the ability for drivers to race hard. https://t.co/qXjwq5NRjv
— Josef Newgarden (@josefnewgarden) February 23, 2024
"This is the right move for the future," Newgarden said in his post. "Boundaries are meant to be pushed, and rules are meant to push back! You should expect to see additional rule changes that will help reign in other driving standards at Indy, without removing the ability for drivers to race hard."
While IndyCar should be applauded for curtailing "The Dragon" move on the front straight, the series should consider slaying "The Dragon" altogether. Could that be part of the "additional rule changes" that Newgarden refers to in his X post? We can only hope.
