“The nature of IndyCar is that there’s highs and lows all the time, and I’ve had my fair share of it all.”
Pato O’Ward has certainly been on one helluva rollercoaster ride. There have been breakthrough moments, such as his first career win at Texas Motor Speedway in 2021, along with several heartbreaks, undoubtedly led by his defeat after battling with Josef Newgarden for the win in the 2024 Indianapolis 500.
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Through it all, though, O’Ward has never been alone.
When the Mexican joined Arrow McLaren in 2020, he was paired with race engineer Will Anderson and strategist Nick Snyder. The trio have been together ever since, with every moment of joy and pain shared in what has forged a brotherhood.
“The way we complement each other is really good,” Snyder told Motorsport.com.
“Will is a great psychologist with Pato, understands how his mind works, how to work with him when he’s driving on track. Everybody’s got their ups and downs. If Pato’s really down, Will can get him back up. If you get overexcited, you bring him back down. We just sort of maintain that calm level.
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“When we got the ability to sort of do the driving, do the driver psychology, do the technical side, the three of us just form that trio, it works together pretty well.”
Will Anderson (left) with Pato O’Ward (right).
Will Anderson (left) with Pato O’Ward (right).
That view by Snyder, who also serves as Performance Director for Arrow McLaren, is supported by nine wins, 32 podiums, 52 top fives, 70 top 10s and seven poles in 104 starts together.
For his part, Anderson shared that his own history growing up racing go-karts has helped with the process and understanding how to talk with O’Ward.
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“It’s something that we’ve worked very hard on as a group, is that area of just how we communicate with Pato,” Anderson told Motorsport.com. “Pato and I have worked together outside the track to understand each other and make sure that we’re on the same page. If he’s frustrated, I can try to do some cues to hopefully bring him down.”
O’Ward was the last piece to the puzzle, with Snyder initially joining the team in 2011 when it was under the Sam Schmidt Motorsports banner. Anderson came onboard a couple of years later.
The relationship has grown over the years, with O’Ward hosting dinners for Anderson, Snyder, and the rest of the team. O’Ward shared how Anderson prefers solitude over being around people, but will pester him anyways.
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“I love picking at him because I know he sometimes gets uncomfortable,” O’Ward said. “So that’s my favorite part of Will. Sadly, he doesn’t get that uncomfortable anymore.” And that’s easier with Snyder, who O’Ward says is more outgoing, “after a few beers.”
Nick Snyder, Arrow McLaren
Nick Snyder, Arrow McLaren
One of the more underrated advantages with the three being together so long is being able to retrace previous moments that can be applied instantly when dissecting a current problem.
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“If I go back to referencing 2022 or 2023 or whatever, they know as good as I do of how, either how that felt or what we did, what worked, what didn’t work,” O’Ward told Motorsport.com.
“So, every lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, regardless of it being just this year or the years prior, it’s knowledge. It’s free lap time at the end of the day. Whether it actually translates to speed sometimes, no. But in terms of experience, that will translate to opportunity.”
The 27-year-old O’Ward pointed out the value of that in preparing for the Indianapolis 500, a race he has two runner-ups, and two additional top four finishes in six starts. He will start sixth for Sunday’s 110th Running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
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“For me, around this place, it’s safe to say, if I were to pick one place in my career that’s had such highs and such lows, it would be here,” O’Ward said.
“Because the lows here are very low. Even if it’s just a second place as well. Just because the result was still good, doesn’t mean it’s not a low, right? Here, the reality is the only thing that matters is when you win. And Nick and Will have been a big part of my whole journey here. So, to me, it feels good and I’m happy to be able to share this amazing journey with them. But also, keep fighting. Keep fighting for that, what we’re looking for.”
Pato O’Ward’s 2021 victory at Texas Motor Speedway.
Pato O’Ward’s 2021 victory at Texas Motor Speedway.
Through the tough defeats at the Indy 500, Anderson has tried to keep things in perspective.
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“I think we all have a very good mindset,” Anderson said. “Yeah, we finished second a couple of times. Would have loved for those to be wins, but we still get to play race cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“It stings when you finish second for such a big race and you want to do better. And I think that’s kind of the approach we’ve taken. I don’t think any of us have really been sulked about it. There’s the moment after the race where it stings and you’re like, ‘This sucks.’ And then you get on with it.”
With that, though, Anderson recalled the “demoralizing” finish to the 2024 Indy 500, when O’Ward took the lead on the final lap from Newgarden going into Turn 1, only to get passed in Turn 3. The result left O’Ward emerging from his #5 Chevrolet in tears, with the crushing result felt together.
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“That night and the day or so after, I’m going to be honest, I just left him alone,” Anderson said. “I was like, ‘You have your time. You have your space.’ And then maybe Tuesday or Wednesday for Detroit, just got back at it. Look, Indy’s a very special place, but we didn’t win that year.
“It was demoralizing in that moment. … It really sucked. I know Pato felt it. You saw him after the race. We all felt it. I kept my sunglasses on. They were on and down. Couldn’t see my eyes.”
But refusing to allow the emotions to linger for too long, Anderson shifts the mindset.
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“It was, ‘Hey, we need to get better at Indy,’ Anderson said. “We were very close. A turn or two away. How do we fix that for next year? What can we try to make better for next year to be in a better situation? On to Detroit.”
Pato O’Ward, Indy 500 qualifying
Pato O’Ward, Indy 500 qualifying
Snyder also drew back memories of the pain from that particular Indy 500, but, like Anderson, tries to take away the positives.
“It’s good, because it’s a kick in the nuts when you don’t win, but the fact we’ve got so many good results, it shows we’re doing a lot of stuff right,” Snyder said.
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“We’re not going in here and totally screwing it up every year. We’ve got the building blocks that we need to win this race.
“Indy chooses its winner every year, and it hasn’t chosen us yet. I hope it does this year, but we’re not gonna blow it up and rebuild every time we don’t win. We’re going to keep what we did right and just incrementally try to make it better next time.”
After being collected in a crash with Alexander Rossi in last Monday’s post-qualifying practice, O’Ward was forced to move to a backup car for Sunday’s race. The new challenger, though, went to Victory Lane at Iowa Speedway and Streets of Toronto last year, as well as sat on the pole in the season-finale at Nashville Superspeedway.
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Despite the setback, O’Ward’s confidence has remained steady, with full faith in his team.
“This car, I’ve had a past with this car, a good past with this car,” O’Ward said. “I’m not worried. It’s been a great car to me. It’s been a great car for the team.”
And if they can take the fight to the Field of 33 and cross the famous Yard of Bricks first after 500 miles on Sunday, the party might go well into Detroit.
“It will be pretty insane,” Anderson said. “It’ll be pretty cool, especially with Pato, a very outgoing person. And then just all of Pato’s fans.
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“I think all the people at the Speedway would appreciate seeing Pato win here. They’ve gotten to see the maybe softer side of Pato with the second place finishes. And it seems like a lot of people, even if they aren’t a Pato fan naturally, would appreciate a Pato O’Ward win at the Speedway. Just what he’s done here, what he’s tried to give, and how much he enjoys this place.”
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