Marco Andretti’s car was dialed in, the third-generation Indy car driver was confident and the over-the-wall crew for the No. 26 Team RC Cola car was spot on with its work.
That was in the first half of the Indianapolis 500, when he led four different times for 59 laps (and has led in five of his seven Indy 500s). Even after entering the pits in third place on Lap 144 – a service stop that was accomplished in 6.3 seconds -- the car appeared strong as Andretti fought to win his first Indy 500 (and the Andretti family’s first since his grandfather, Mario, won in 1969).
A yellow flag that flew immediately after the Lap 144 pit stop dropped Andretti to 14th place, and though he gained six spots by Lap 185 Andretti's race ended in Turn 1 of Lap 187.
After being checked and released from the care center, a sore Andretti expressed his frustration with Oriol Servia about the crash, but later tweeted: "Sorry for blaming @OriolServia. Was frustrated and totally out of it. I made my own bed there. Very sore. Unlucky but lucky."
Andretti recorded the fastest race lap (220.172 mph; 40.8771 seconds) and fastest lap by the leader – both on Lap 59.
“I’m disappointed for the RC Cola guys; they deserved it," Andretti added. "It wasn’t over by any means at that point.”
Power hot on track after incident
Will Power, the IZOD IndyCar Series points leader entering the race, was involved in contact with the No. 14 ABC Supply car driven by Mike Conway in Turn 2 of Lap 80. Power, driving the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car, started from the middle of Row 2.
“My mistake coming into the pits. I came in a bit too hard and collected some of my guys and that screwed up the front wing and we didn’t realize it till I got out,” said Conway, who started 29th. “(On the out lap) through Turns 3 and 4 it felt a little wiggly and I thought it was just tire temperatures but down the front straight when I went down into Turn 1 I could see one of the endplates sticking up in the air. I knew it wouldn’t be right turning in so I tried to back out just going in.
“But I knew Will was close behind me so I didn’t want to back out too much and the car got very loose, which I was able to correct it once but it broke loose again and I couldn’t catch it the second time and then I was just a passenger on board.”
No crew members were injured. Power was hot, and it wasn’t the ambient temperature.
“I don’t understand why they would (send out Conway with broken wing),” said Power, who had won the previous three races. I’m fine but I’m just disappointed for the Verizon guys.”
Power retained the championship lead by 36 over teammate Helio Castroneves (164) and Andretti Autosport's James Hinchcliffe. Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, the runner-up in the Indy 500, has 153 points.
He said it
“I do have a favorite for the race. Are you talking about a driver? I was talking about French fries. My favorite is French fries and a beer for the race.”
-- Comedian Howie Mandel, honorary announcer
Of note
Paul Page, who has broadcast the Indy 500 and just about every other form of motorsports, received the Bob Russo Founders Award for his dedication to auto racing. … Each car had 150 gallons of E85 available for the race. … The average speed was 167.734 mph. … There were 39 caution laps.