Dario Does It For Dan - 2012 Indianapolis 500 Review

Dario Franchitti claimed his third Indy 500 crown in spectacular fashion last Sunday.

Franchitti recovered from this early incident

The Scot, starting from the middle of the field took the lead for the first time on lap 151 after earlier falling to last place after being spun in the pits by EJ Viso of KV Racing.

The two Lotus runners, Simona de Silvestro and rookie Jean Alesi were black flagged after nine and ten laps respectively due to not meeting Indy Car's 105% Speed ruling.

A spinning Conway (top) took out Will Power

Championship leader Scott Dixon was an early victim after a colision with the spinning Mike Conway. The Andretti Curse also struck again when Marco Andretti crashed out of eigth place with only 12 laps remaining. He had earlier complained that the high temperatures were affecting the soles of his racing shoes.

The race set the record for most lead changes in the Indy 500 (35), Franchitti, Andretti, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, James Hinchcliffe and even former F1 stars Rubens Barichello and Takuma Sato were amongst the leaders.

Sato's move didn't pay off

In the closing stages, Target Chip Ganassi team meats Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon exchanged the lead with Tony Kanaan also coming into play. After leading earlier, and making a fantastic pass on Scott Dixon a lap earlier to take second; Takuma Sato made a brave move on the last lap at turn one for the lead but he got his left wheels onto the white line at the bottom of the racing surface, spinning into the wall, subsequently ending the race under caution.

Franchitti leads Dixon

Franchitti, Dixon and Kanaan (1-2-3 in the race) crossed the line together in tribute to their best friend Dan Wheldon, the 2011 Indy 500 winner who died tragically last October in a crash during the Indy Car World Championsip race at Las Vegas.

An emotional Franchitti, donning Wheldon's trademark white framed sunglasses, said in victory lane: "To be on the trophy beside Dan on either side, that means more than anything. Everybody up there was a friend of Dan's and everybody loved Dan. I think DW [Dan Wheldon] would be proud of that one."

Franchitti kisses the bricks

Dan Wheldon's 2011 Indy 500 car took to the track before the race in a short tribute whilst American troops where honoured, with team owner Bryan Herta behind the wheel.

 Images from LA Times



In memory of Dan Wheldon - 1978-2011