Scott Dixon held off a late challenge from Vitor Meira to become the first New Zealander to win the Indianapolis 500.
Dixon, who started from the pole, finished 1.7498 seconds ahead of Meira. It was the first Indianapolis victory for Dixon, who finished second last year to Dario Franchitti in both the race and the Indy Racing League championship. The 27-year-old Target Chip Ganassi driver was the 2003 IRL champion.
``What a day, I just couldn't believe it,'' Dixon said in a televised interview after the race. ``We seemed to have a good car and we just had to hold on to it. There were so many yellows it was hard to get into a rhythm.''
The race was slowed by eight caution flags for 69 laps that left 20 cars running at the end. Dixon's crew got him out of the pits ahead of Meira under the last caution and held off the Brazilian during the final laps. There were 18 lead changes among nine drivers. Dixon led for 115 laps of the 2.5-mile (4.02-kilometer) Indiana circuit.
Marco Andretti finished third, Helio Castroneves was fourth and Ed Carpenter rounded out the top five. Ryan Hunter-Reay was the top rookie finisher in sixth place.
``This is a very good result for us compared to the struggle we had last year and at the beginning of this season,'' Meira told reporters after the race. ``Definitely, Panther Racing is back, and the big three better watch out.''
Meira was referring to Ganassi Racing, Penske Racing and Andretti Green Racing, the top three teams in the IRL. Those teams claimed three of the top five spots. Meira finished 10th at Indianapolis last year and has retired from three of four races so far this year with Panther.
Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick was knocked out of the race during a pit stop on lap 171. Ryan Briscoe was exiting his pit when he clipped Patrick's left rear tire, spinning her car around and breaking a suspension component. Patrick stalked toward Briscoe's pit after the incident and was prevented by officials from confronting him.
Patrick was credited with a 22nd-place finish. It was the first time in four trips to Indianapolis that she failed to finish the race. Briscoe was 23rd.
Tony Kanaan led at the halfway point in the race. Five laps later after being passed by Dixon and Andretti, his teammate, he lost control and crashed, collecting Sarah Fisher in the process. Kanaan was upset with Andretti for not giving him enough room on the track.
``I was worried about it when it happened,'' Andretti, who apologized to Kanaan for the incident, told reporters after the race. ``It's racing, and if it's going to happen, it's going to happen.''
Kanaan was credited with a 29th place finish and Fisher was 30th. Milka Duno was the top finisher of three female drivers in the race with a 19th-place finish.
Dixon completed the 500-mile event in 3 hours, 28 minutes, 57.692 seconds, an average 143.567 miles an hour. Andretti set the fastest lap of the race at 224.037 miles an hour on lap 161.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aq._eGTK_hrw&refer=home
No comments:
Post a Comment