2007 Indianapolis 500

Infobox Indy500
race_name = 91st Indianapolis 500
race_
location = Indianapolis Motor Speedway
date = May 27, 2007
winner = Dario Franchitti
mph = 151.774
pole = Hélio Castroneves
pole_speed = 225.817
fast_time = Hélio Castroneves
rookie = Phil Giebler
leader = Tony Kanaan (83)
anthem = Members of United States Armed Forces
back_home = Race fans & the Purdue Band
start_engines = Mari Hulman George
pace_car = Chevrolet Corvette
pace_driver = Patrick Dempsey
honorary_start = Peyton Manning
attendance = 300,000+ (estimated) [cite web
url=http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=254597 | title=Franchitti wins rain-interrupted Indy 500
publisher=Motorsport.com | date=2007-05-27 | accessdate=2007-05-27]
network = ESPN on ABC
announcers = Marty Reid, Scott Goodyear, and Rusty Wallace
rating = 4.3 [http://sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=sbd.preview&storyId=SBD200705302]
share = 12
previous = 2006
next = 2008The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 12th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and marked the fifth race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season just after the 2007 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 and just before the 2007 ABC Supply Company A.J. Foyt 225. Hélio Castroneves started the race on the pole position.

The race began at 1:11 p.m. EDT [cite web |url=http://www.indy500.com/modules/pdf/07Handouts.carbday.pdf |title=Race Weekend Guide |publisher=indy500.com |date=2007-05-24 |accessdate=2007-05-24|format=PDF] , and was televised in the United States on the ABC network, with a one-hour pre-race show at 12 noon EDT. The race was broadcast in high-definition for the first time. The race also was carried live on the IMS Radio Network, XM Satellite Radio, and simulcast on XM Sports Nation. At lap 113, the race underwent a lengthy rain delay, but re-started shortly before 6:15 p.m. EDT. A crash on lap 162 between Dan Wheldon and Marco Andretti brought out the yellow flag and, shortly thereafter, rain began falling hard again and the race was ended, still under a yellow flag, after lap 166. Dario Franchitti was declared the winner after leading 34 laps during the race.

chedule

Tuesday May 8, 2007 - IndyCar Series practice

*Weather: Sunny, 82° F
*Practice summary: The first full day of practice featured veterans on the track for the first time. Dan Wheldon led the speed chart as the first driver over 225 m.p.h. Jon Herb was involved in the first crash of the month, doing a half-spin at the exit of turn two and crashing in to the outside wall. Herb was not injured.

Friday May 11, 2007 - Fast Friday IndyCar Series practice

*Weather: Partly cloudy, 85° F
*Practice summary: The final day of practice before pole qualifying saw Scott Dixon turn the fastest lap of the month. Rookie Milka Duno crashed in the exit of turn 1. She spun and hit the SAFER barrier hard with the rear of the car, but she was not injured.

unday May 13, 2007 - Second Day Qualifying

*Weather: Fair skies, high 74° F
*Qualifying summary: The second day of time trials filled positions 12-22 on the starting grid. The first hour saw heavy action, featuring strong runs from IndyCar Series regulars such as Scott Sharp (the first to qualify, and his 223.875 speed would hold up as the fastest of the day), Jeff Simmons and Darren Manning. Fan favorite Davey Hamilton also qualified with a solid speed. Later in the afternoon, Sarah Fisher became the second woman to qualify for the field. Bumping began with Marty Roth, Buddy Lazier and Jon Herb all being bumped. Herb went out later, and bumped himself back into the field, only to be bumped out a second time by Lazier. As time was running out, Jaques Lazier took to the track to try and bump himself into the top 22, and effectively bump his brother Buddy out. He was too slow and waved off the run. At the end of the day, two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser, Jr. was the most notable driver bumped for the day, and had to attempt to qualify on the second weekend.

Thursday May 17, 2007 - IndyCar Series practice *Weather: Mostly cloudy early, clearing late, high 65° F, 16 mph North winds *Practice summary: The second straight day of cold and windy weather resulted in fewer than 800 total laps being turned among 23 drivers. The only incident of the day resulted when Stephan Gregoire lost control on the exit of turn 1 and backed the car into the wall in the south short chute. Only light damage was sustained to the car, but Gregoire complained of back pain and was transported to Methodist Hospital where he was diagnosed with a fracture of the third vertebra endplate. John Andretti made his first appearance in an IndyCar since 1994 and completed his refresher test. Scott Dixon turned the fastest lap of the day while drafting with teammate Dan Wheldon. Gregoire (217.851 mph) turned the fastest lap among drivers yet to qualify before his encounter with the wall. †Qualification withdrawn on bump day. ††Bumped on bump day.

Carb Day

Friday May 25, 2007 - IndyCar Series final practice

*Weather: cloudy, humid, 82° F
*Practice summary: All 33 qualified cars took to the track and turned in a complete hour-long final practice without incident. Later that evening at 3:30 the Miller Lite Concert started with headline act Kid Rock.

(W) = Former Indianapolis 500 winner; (R) = Indianapolis 500 rookie

Failed to Qualify:
#40 flagicon|USA P. J. Jones
#18 flagicon|USA Jimmy Kite

Race

*Weather: 76 degrees, cloudy and rain, some patches of sunshine in the afternoon
*Race summary:Pre-race: Rain fell overnight, but stopped before the gates opened in the morning. At 7:45 a.m., rain began to fall again, and threatened to delay or wash out the race. Around 10:00 a.m., the rain stopped and maintenance crews began to dry the track. Despite the morning showers, Speedway chairperson Mari Hulman George gave the command to start engines on time as scheduled at 1:05 p.m. EDT.:Start: During the pace lap, the race nearly took a dramatic turn as pole-sitter Helio Castroneves failed to start. After several attempts, his car finally fired, and he joined the field in turn 4. A rather ragged start saw Castroneves take the lead into the first turn, but Tony Kanaan slipped by to lead lap one. Green-flag racing continued until lap 11, when John Andretti lost a rear-view mirror, bringing out a debris caution yellow flag.

:When racing resumed, Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti, and Scott Dixon all took their turn at the lead. Three single car crashes involving Roberto Moreno, Jon Herb and Milka Duno slowed the pace of the race, and allowed the leaders to make several yellow flag pit stops.

:On the 74th lap, Dario Franchitti took the lead for the first time, and led until he pit on the 89th lap. Around that time, officials were warning that rain was approaching the area. After several drivers sequenced through green-flag pit stops, Tony Kanaan led Marco Andretti. Suddenly, on the 99th lap, John Andretti got high in turn two, and crashed into the outside wall, bringing out the caution. Jeff Simmons found himself unexpectedly in the lead, but pitted a lap later, giving Marco Andretti the lead. With rain only a few miles away, the ensuing lap 107 restart could decide the winner. As the green came out, Tony Kanaan got the jump on Andretti, and took the lead in turn 1. Moments later, Phil Giebler crashed, bringing the yellow out once again. Before safety crews could clear the track, heavy rain fell, and the race was red flagged.

:Red flag: When the race was stopped, 113 laps were completed. A race is required to go a minimum of 101 laps before it can be official. If rain continued the rest of the afternoon, it could be declared over. Andretti Green Racing was scored 1st-2nd-3rd with Kanaan leading, Marco Andretti second, and Danica Patrick third. After nearly three hours, the rain stopped and the track was dry. Shortly after 6:00 p.m., the field lined up in the pits for a restart.

:Restart: Tony Kanaan took over where he left off and pulled away from the field. Danica Patrick got by Marco Andretti and took over second place. Approximately 30 laps of uninterrupted intense green flag racing followed. Another sequence of green-flag pit stops saw all of the leaders head to the pits. Jaques Lazier stayed out a couple of extra laps, and led the race for the first time in his career. After the stops, Kanaan returned to the lead, followed by defending champion Sam Hornish Jr.

:Finish: On the 151st lap, Marty Roth crashed in turn one, and started an exciting sequence of events. The skies were darkening, and rain was fast approaching again, which would certainly end the race for good. Under the yellow, many leaders pit for tires and fuel, while some drivers, including Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, stayed out to gain track position. On the 156th lap, the field went back to green, however, in turn four, Tony Kanaan came up on the back of Jacques Lazier, sending Lazier into the wall, and sending Kanaan's car into a spin. He blew a tire and coasted into the pits. Moments later, the field assembled for what was expected to be the final restart before the rains came. Franchitti, working lap 163, held the lead into the backstretch. Behind him, Marco Andretti tangled with Dan Wheldon, and Andretti's car flipped down the backstretch. Before the track could be cleared, a heavy rainstorm fell on the track, and the race was called after 166 laps with Dario Franchitti declared the winner. A makeshift victory lane celebration was held indoors underneath the Pagoda, as had been done for Buddy Rice who also won in the rain in 2004.

Full race results

Caution Periods

There were eleven caution periods during the race, with a total of fifty-five laps run under yellow, including the race's final lap.

Awards

The Victory Celebration was held Monday May 28, 2007. cite web|url=http://www.indy500.com/news/story.php?story_id=9053|title=Franchitti Earns $1.6 Million From Record Indianapolis 500 Purse|date=2007-05-28|accessdate=2007-06-29] Some of the many awards handed out during the evening included:
*A record total purse of $10,668,815
*Race winner Dario Franchitti won $1,645,233
*Phil Giebler won the Rookie of the Year
*Tony Kanaan won the Scott Brayton Driver's Trophy

ee also

*Indy Racing League
*2007 IndyCar Series season

References

External links

* [http://www.indy500.com Official site]

Indy 500 Walker
Previous_race = 2006
Previous_winner = Sam Hornish, Jr.
This_race = 2007
This_winner = Dario Franchitti
Next_race = 2008
Next_winner = Scott Dixon