INDIANAPOLIS – When Pato O’Ward pulled into pit lane after finishing second in the Indianapolis 500 for the second time in three years, he stood up and climbed halfway out of the cockpit of his No. 5 Chevrolet.

The 25-year-old buried his head – helmet still on – into the halo of his black and papaya Arrow McLaren Indy car.

“It was very wet in there,” O’Ward said of his helmet and tears. “I didn’t want to take it off just yet.”

Doyel: Newgarden edges O'Ward in classy duel for second straight Indy 500 win

Once O’Ward climbed out of the car and into his crew’s pit stand, he once again dropped his head onto the shoulder of an Arrow McLaren team member. His helmet was still on.

As he was consoled by the crew member, O’Ward’s shoulders could be seen lightly shaking. It was clear the wetness he described in his helmet wasn’t just sweat.

“It’s heartbreaking. Just two corners short,” O’Ward said of losing the lead to Josef Newgarden on Lap 200. “ ... It stings. It’s that close.”

The Mexico native admitted it: He wears his heart on his sleeve.

“When you come so close and you just can’t seem to get it right, it’s just a lot of emotion,” O’Ward said. “ … I know I can win this race.”

O’Ward has finished in the top six of the Indianapolis 500 in four of his five attempts. In 2024’s version of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, O’Ward led 12 of the 200 laps, most coming in the final quarter of the race.

Lap 199 was one such leading lap, and it wasn’t just O’Ward who felt victory was so close he could taste it. Although Newgarden was right on O’Ward’s tail, Arrow McLaren team principal Gavin Ward said he felt himself getting caught up in the moment.

His excitement turned to disappointment less than 30 seconds later when Newgarden passed O’Ward with an inside move on Turn 3, clinching a back-to-back win for the Team Penske driver. Ward may not have been in the cockpit like O’Ward, he has been with the No. 5 driver every step of the way.

“It really hurts,” Ward said. “At the end of the day, when you lead on the last lap you think you’re gonna win it … you can’t blame anybody, we just weren’t quite good enough today.”

Although Newgarden knew his respectful words toward his podium peer wouldn’t mend the devastation that comes with losing the Indianapolis 500, the back-to-back winner offered up strong praise for O’Ward.

“I think he’s a tremendous champion,” Newgarden said. “He could’ve easily won the race himself, he was very capable of that. … He’s one of the best competitors we have in this field. He drove like a champion.”

O’Ward’s evening nearly ended the same way, almost losing control of his car on two separate occasions. He said he had to put more trust into his skills behind the wheel than he ever had during these near crashes. And despite showing his aggression when it comes to passing his competitors, O’Ward said he was playing defense for 85% of the race.

“I put that car in certain points where I didn’t know if I was going to come out in one piece,” O’Ward said. “I want to win this race so freaking bad. … Today, we’re second.”

The 25-year-old took his time when reflecting about the 500-mile race he had just completed. The 500-mile race he and his Arrow McLaren crew spent 12 months preparing for, even amongst 16 other IndyCar Series races. O’Ward talked about how tough the entire month of May was both on the track and off, claiming he had a flu-induced fever for five nights straight while at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

And while he repeatedly said that the acclaimed oval track owes him nothing, he spoke about Indianapolis in a glowing light, saying the community in the city has made the area feel like home. That fact, and the cheers that came from the estimated 350,000 fans in attendance, brought a slight smile to his face during his heart-breaking, whirlwind day.

“I feel very proud of what I did today, I really do,” O’Ward said. “ … I put everything into today.”

Contact Kyle Smedley with comments via email at KSmedley@Gannett.com or on X @KyleSmedley_.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pato O'Ward comes up just short in 2024 Indy 500