May 26 (UPI) -- Simon Pagenaud sped past Alexander Rossi with under two laps to go and held on to win his first Indy 500 on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Pagenaud's victory gave car owner Roger Penske his 18th career Indianapolis 500 win. He finished only two-tenths of a second ahead of Rossi.
"It's hard to believe right now, to be honest with you," Pagenaud told reporters. "It's been such an intense race. I believe we led most of the race. ... It's a dream come true, a life of trying to achieve this. I'm just speechless. I never expected to be in this position but I certainly was trying to make it as hard as I could."
Rossi held the lead after the final restart of the race with 13 laps remaining. Pagenaud, who started on the pole and dominated for a majority of the first half of the race, soon retook the top spot.
The two drivers traded the lead multiple times before Pagenaud executed a spectacular pass entering the third turn with a lap and a quarter to go and beat Rossi to the finish line.
Relive @SimonPagenaud's winning move.
With a lap and a quarter to go, Pagenaud got by Alexander Rossi to score the victory in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Watch post-race coverage on @NBC: https://t.co/iiagfm2TqY #MustBeMay #Indy500 pic.twitter.com/wKRvO1uvwj— IndyCar on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 26, 2019
Takuma Sato finished third, followed by Josef Newgarden and Will Power. Scott Dixon came in 17th place and Helio Castroneves was in 18th.
Moments from Indianapolis 500
Simon Pagenaud, winner of the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, celebrates during the traditional photo shoot at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud poses with his fiancee Hailey McDermott and his dog Norman at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, one day after winning the Indianapolis 500. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud appears at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the traditional photo shoot with the Borg Warner Trophy and his winning car on Monday, one day after finishing first in the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Winner Simon Pagenaud kisses the bricks flanked by Roger Penske (L) and Tim Cindric after winning the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud wears the victory wreath after winning the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud pours the traditional milk after winning the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud celebrates winning the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud leaps into the arms of a crew member after driving the Menards Team Penske Chevrolet to victory in the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud salutes the crowd on a victory lap after winning the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Duane Appleget/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud drives the Menards Team Penske Chevrolet to victory in the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/UPI | License Photo
Eventual Winner Simon Pagenaud (22) gets pit service during the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
Josef Newgarden (2) leads eventual winner Simon Pagenaud (22) down the main straight during the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
Eventual winner Simon Pagenuad drives by the crippled car of last-place finisher Colton Herta in the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud (22) leads cars into turn 1 at the beginning of the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
The front row of eventual winner Simon Pagenaud (22) Ed Carpenter (20)and Spencer Pigot (21) aligns up nicely in the north short chute just before the start of the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Bill Coons/UPI | License Photo
Ed Carpenter (20), Spencer Pigot (21) and Marco Andretti (98) pit during the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
Felix Rosenqvist (10) and Zach Veach (26) slide off the north short after crashing together during the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Neither Rosenqvist nor Veach were injured in the accident. Photo by Bill Coons/UPI | License Photo
Kyle Kaiser slides across the north short chute before slamming the wall in turn four during the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Bill Coons/UPI | License Photo
Kyle Kaiser spins in turn three, hitting the wall in turn four early in the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Duane Appleget/UPI | License Photo
Sebastian Bourdais goes up against wall in turn three while Conor Daly passes underneath in a collision that stopped the race 20 laps from the finish of the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Duane Appleget/UPI | License Photo
Graham Rahal moves past the disabled car of Scott Davidson after a pit stop incident during the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Scott Dixon takes a pit stop early in the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
A wheel rolls away from the Jordan King car during an incident in the pits the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Ben Hanley's car gets pushed back after it stalled leaving a pit stop during the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
James DavidsonÕs crew works on his car after contact with Helio Castroneves during a pit stop the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Helio Castroneves goes past the car of Scott Davidson during a pit stop incident during the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Cars come down the main straight for the start of the103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
Simon Pagenaud waves to the crowd as the drivers line up before the start the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Kelly Clarkson completes the national anthem before the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Armed forces members march out at the conclusion of pre-race ceremonies before the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Jackson Robert Scott of television's "It" poses on the red carpet before the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Jim Cornelison, the national anthem singer, appears on the red carpet at the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
Chevel Shepherd of The Voice appears on the red carpet before singing "God Bless America" in the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
The Borg-Warner trophy makes its way to the front straight before the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
Commentator Danica Patrick, a former race driver, waits before the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Photo by Mike Gentry/UPI | License Photo
Academy award-winning actor Matt Damon signs autographs on the red carpet before the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunda. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/UPI | License Photo
Academy award-winning actor Christian Bales signs autographs on the red carpet before the103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. He and actor Matt Damon are co-starters. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/UPI | License Photo
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