Rookie Rossi Scores Sensational Upset Victory In 100th Indianapolis 500

Front row drivers James Hinchcliffe, Josef Newgarden and Ryan Hunter-Reay line-up on pace lap. [Joe Jennings Photo]

by Joe Jennings

INDIANAPOLIS – Rookie driver Alexander Rossi scored an upset victory in the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. Running on fumes as the race neared the end, the 24-year old driver followed instructions issued by team strategist Bryan Herta and saved just enough fuel to cross the finish line, 4.4975 seconds ahead of teammate Carlos Munoz.

Rossi did run out of fuel on the cool-down lap and had to be towed to victory lane.

Given the significance of the 100th running, a sell-out crowd estimated in the 350,000 range gathered on a hot day in Indiana.

Said the 24-year old winner, “The win hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m still on the last lap actually with Bryan yelling at me. He is like, Pull the clutch in and coast. I’m like, What? Okay.

“But, no, I mean, it’s an unbelievable result for the team. Just is a testament to how hard one has worked this entire month. We’ve been strong from day one, on Monday. It’s made my life that much easier. Made my debut at Indianapolis and the 500 a lot smoother than it could have gone.”

Regarding his fuel supply and the race, he commented, “I mean, it was close obviously, too close for comfort. But obviously the people on the timing stand knew what was going on and we made it work.

“I was really focused on taking it one lap at a time. The emotional rollercoaster of this race is ridiculous. There were moments where I was stoked, moments where were heartbroken, moments where I was stoked again. I need to see a psychiatrist after this (laughter).

It was tough. But I just really focused on doing the job I could. Bryan has a calming demeanor on the radio. The spotters were fantastic. I knew everything that was going on. I focused on my job: making sure the car was in the right spot all the time.”

Winning team co-owner Michael Andretti said, “After that last pit stop, I knew that Alex was going to try it. We knew then, All right, if he’s going to try it, we’re going to try different strategies. It really worked out. We had two cars that had a shot at winning with two different strategies.

“So to come home 1-2 is just incredible. My hat’s off to Bryan Herta. He was the strategist there. Like I said, I think he used some of that NAPA know-how to get himself there to the end. They were on fumes at the end.

“Alex did an awesome job at saving fuel, to the point where he’s pulling in the clutch and coasting. It just was crazy. It was amazing. I don’t know what to say. Great day. To be a part of history, to win the hundredth running, to win it with a 1-2 finish is incredible. I’m a bit speechless.”

Team strategist and co-owner Herta commented, “I can’t overstate how hard it was for Alex to do what I was asking him to do on the radio: to drive to a fuel number that was almost impossible, but still keep pace and keep track position.

“We had a few debates about it, but he kept pushing, he kept digging. He did exactly what we asked him to do. Obviously things came right for us at the end there.

It was huge. But we ran the numbers. I have to say, the guys on the timing stand, it started off every half lap, then every quarter lap giving us updates. We were watching it that close.

Like I said, it’s one thing to have the plan, it’s another thing to be able to execute and execute under that kind of pressure. It’s amazing.”

Driving the NAPA Auto Parts/Curb Honda fielded by Andretti Autosport, Rossi started 11th and quickly caught up with the leaders, running strong throughout and leading twice for 14 laps, including the final three circuits.

Rossi said he started having the winning feeling on lap five and although he bounced around in the standings, his positive feeling prevailed to the finish. As the race wound down, Tony Kanaan, Josef Newgarden, J. R.Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Helio Castroneves, Munoz and Rossi were waging a titanic struggle for the lead with all but Rossi needing to stop for fuel in the closing laps.

Following Herta’s fuel-saving strategy closely, Rossi ran the final 36 laps without a stop. Munoz came the closest to winning, only to come in for a splash of fuel with two laps remaining.

Said the dejected Colombian, “I was really disappointed when it comes with fuel and you lose the race because of that. I was really disappointed get second. Half a lap short. That’s what it took.

“I was sliding the last two stints. I knew I had the car to win in the first half of the race. I just was holding my position. Last part of the race I was pushing really hard, overtaking everyone. One of the yellows didn’t help us. I went back to the field, got again back to the front of the field. It wasn’t our day, if I’m honest. My team never was in the fight. But this is racing. We have to congratulate him.

“What can I say? The only thing I’m clear about is that I will win this race one day.”

Josef Newgarden motored to third place in the Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet 4.9 seconds back.

Kanaan and teammate Charlie Kimball were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Hildebrand, Hinchcliffe, Scott Dixon, Sebastien Bourdais and Will Power completed the top-10 finishers.

Ryan Hunter-Reay led the most laps, 52, and he and teammate Townsend Bell ran at the front until tangling in the pits on lap 114. Exiting their pit stall, Bell was nudged by Castroneves, spinning the Andretti Autosport teammates. Bell lost a lap and Hunter-Reay two, and they were scored 21st and 24th.

Crashes took out Juan Pablo Montoya, Sage Karam, Mikhail Aleshin, Conor Daly and Takuma Sato.

Time of the race was 3 hours and .02 seconds and the average speed was 166.634 miles per hour.

54 lead changes spiced the action.

100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Results
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Results Sunday of the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race presented by PennGrade Motor Oil Verizon IndyCar Series event on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):
1. (11) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 200, Running
2. (5) Carlos Munoz, Honda, 200, Running
3. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 200, Running
4. (18) Tony Kanaan, Chevrolet, 200, Running
5. (16) Charlie Kimball, Chevrolet, 200, Running
6. (15) JR Hildebrand, Chevrolet, 200, Running
7. (1) James Hinchcliffe, Honda, 200, Running
8. (13) Scott Dixon, Chevrolet, 200, Running
9. (19) Sebastien Bourdais, Chevrolet, 200, Running
10. (6) Will Power, Chevrolet, 200, Running
11. (9) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet, 200, Running
12. (10) Oriol Servia, Honda, 200, Running
13. (14) Marco Andretti, Honda, 200, Running
14. (26) Graham Rahal, Honda, 200, Running
15. (22) Max Chilton, Chevrolet, 200, Running
16. (31) Jack Hawksworth, Honda, 200, Running
17. (33) Alex Tagliani, Honda, 200, Running
18. (25) Pippa Mann, Honda, 199, Running
19. (8) Simon Pagenaud, Chevrolet, 199, Running
20. (21) Gabby Chaves, Honda, 199, Running
21. (4) Townsend Bell, Honda, 199, Running
22. (27) Matt Brabham, Chevrolet, 199, Running
23. (28) Bryan Clauson, Honda, 198, Running
24. (3) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 198, Running
25. (29) Spencer Pigot, Honda, 195, Running
26. (12) Takuma Sato, Honda, 163, Contact
27. (7) Mikhail Aleshin, Honda, 126, Contact
28. (30) Stefan Wilson, Chevrolet, 119, Electrical
29. (24) Conor Daly, Honda, 115, Contact
30. (32) Buddy Lazier, Chevrolet, 100, Mechanical
31. (20) Ed Carpenter, Chevrolet, 98, Mechanical
32. (23) Sage Karam, Chevrolet, 93, Contact
33. (17) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 63, Contact

Race Statistics
Winners average speed: 166.634
Time of Race: 3:00:02.0872
Margin of victory: 4.4975 seconds
Cautions: 6 for 46 laps
Lead changes: 54 among 13 drivers

Lap Leaders:
Hunter-Reay 1 – 2
Hinchcliffe 3
Hunter-Reay 4
Hinchcliffe 5
Hunter-Reay 6 – 8
Hinchcliffe 9
Hunter-Reay 10
Hinchcliffe 11
Hunter-Reay 12 – 13
Hinchcliffe 14 – 16
Hunter-Reay 17
Hinchcliffe 18 – 23
Hunter-Reay 24 – 27
Newgarden 28 – 29
Munoz 30
Karam 31 – 32
Hunter-Reay 33 – 41
Bell 42 – 48
Hunter-Reay 49 – 56
Bell 57
Hunter-Reay 58
Hinchcliffe 59 – 60
Hunter-Reay 61 – 66
Power 67 – 74
Hinchcliffe 75 – 77
Hunter-Reay 78 – 80
Hinchcliffe 81 – 84
Hunter-Reay 85 – 87
Hinchcliffe 88 – 91
Castroneves 92 – 96
Clauson 97 – 99
Castroneves 100 – 103
Hunter-Reay 104 – 108
Kanaan 109
Hunter-Reay 110 – 112
Bell 113 – 116
Tagliani 117 – 121
Rossi 122
Tagliani 123 – 128
Rossi 129 – 137
Castroneves 138 -148
Munoz 149 – 153
Castroneves 154 -157
Kanaan 158 – 160
Hinchcliffe 161
Kanaan 162 – 163
Hildebrand 164 – 167
Kanaan 168 – 178
Newgarden 179 – 181
Kanaan 182 – 183
Newgarden 184 – 190
Munoz 191
Newgarden 192 – 193
Munoz 194 – 196
Rossi 197 – 200

Verizon IndyCar Series point standings: 1. Pagenaud 292, Dixon 235, Castroneves 224, Newgarden 211, Hinchcliffe 205, Rossi 203, Munoz 199, Kanaan 192, Kimball 189, Montoya 187.

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