Indianapolis , IN–
After a three hour rain delay where Tony Kannan went into the garage after lap 113 as the leader would have won the race if the track could not be dried by 6:30pm. The track staff dried the track ahead of time and Kannan was able to hold the lead, but two cautions and an accident during the final laps of the re-start sent Kannan to a 12th place finish.
The final laps of the shortened race saw Marco Andretti’s car veer hard into the outside wall, slide back across the track in traffic and then flip on its top after it hit the infield grass. It finally came to rest on its wheels and the 20-year-old Andretti was able to climb out uninjured. The other driver that was most watched on the restart was Danica Patrick, who was in 3rd when the first red flag was thrown because of the rain. She would have recorded the best finish ever for a female if the race was stopped, instead she still took home a top 10 victory in 8th place. She was also one of the first drivers to run over and congratulate Franchitti on his victory. Franchitti was fifth when the red flag came out on lap 113. After the restart, he drove into the pits, falling all the way to 14th. “We cut a tire on debris and we had to make the pit stop,” Franchitti said. “I can’t believe it. It’s the Indy 500.” “It hasn’t sunk in right now,” Franchitti said. “To be a member of this club is fantastic. I kind of have half of an idea of what it means to win this race. I’m so happy.” While the spotlight was on Franchitti after the victory, the entire afternoon it was fans paying attention to the battle of the females on the track which in addition to Patrick featured the return of Sarah Fisher and rookie Milka Duno. Duno exited the race after lap 65 as she hit the outside wall. Fisher finished 18th. “I will be back next year,” but my next race is Texas said Duno. |