DAN WHELDON/No.98 William Rast-Curb/.Big Machine Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb/Agajanian inherited the lead with feet of the checkered flag, winning the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. He dedicated his win to his mother, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and the Alzheimer’s Association for letting him represent them.
Wheldon’s Margin of Victory was 2.1085 ahead of Rookie J.R. HILDEBRAND/No.4 National Guard Panther Racing who was charging to his first-ever IZOD IndyCar finish when he crashed within sight of the starter stand. Rather than lifting, Hildebrand kept his foot in it.
Wheldon, a previous Indy 500 winner who started sixth this year, is a one-off Indy 500 driver, without a ride for the rest of the season.
GRAHAM RAHAL/No.38 Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing was third.
TONY KANAAN/No.82 GEICO-KV Racing Technology – Lotus and ORIOL SERVIA/No.2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing were fourth and fifth.
The top finishing driver from one of the so-called Big Teams was SCOTT DIXON/No.9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing, in sixth place.
Seventh through tenth were BERTRAND BAGUETTE/No.30 RACB/Aspira RLL Special Rahal Letterman Lanigan LLC; TOMAS SCHECKTER/No.07 Team REDLINE Xtreme-Circle K KV Racing Technology – SH Racing; and Andretti Autosport teammates, MARCO ANDRETTI/No.26Team Venom and DANICA PATRICK/No.7 Team Go Daddy.
Pole sitter ALEX TAGLIANI/No.78 Bowers &Wilkins/Sam Schmidt Motorsports led several times, but took himself out of contention when he brushed the wall and retired.
All drivers who crashed were seen, released and cleared to drive by DR. MICHAEL OLINGER, INDYCAR Medical Director. They were KV teammates, TAKUMA SATO/No.5 and E.J. VISO/No.59 ; JAY HOWARD.No.88; JAMES HINCHCLIFFE/No.08. SIMONA DE SILVESTRO/No.78 Nuclear Clean Air Energy HVM Racing brushed the wall early one, which ultimately ended her day, after the crew were unsuccessful in repairing the car in the garage in time to rejoin the race.
Twelve drivers finished on the lead lap.
One of the TV Talking Heads said that IndyCar officials are reviewing footage of the final race laps.
more to follow