Overcome with emotion, Castroneves burst into tears as he drank the ceremonial bottle of milk, celebrating his amazing comeback to stand on the top of the podium at the Indianapolis motor Speedway.
Helio Castroneves, who five weeks ago was wondering if he was on his way to jail, is instead on his way into the history books. Castroneves, acquitted of tax charges which threatened to end his career, has entered the pantheon of American auto racing, joining such legends Al and Bobby Unser, A.J. Foyt, and Rick Mears, as three-time winners of America’s greatest auto race.
Castroneves started from the pole but lost the lead to Dario Franchitti on lap seven on a restart. Castroneves kept himself in the top five, while Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti dominated the front of the field.
Ryan Briscoe passed Franchitti on lap 53, but only led for three laps when Graham Rahal lost control in turn Four, destroying the right rear and bringing out a yellow flag. Briscoe took the opportunity to pit, but got a bad set of tires, which cost him an extra pit stop and sent him to the back of the pack.
