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Helio Castroneves drinks the winner's milk - Source: Reuters -
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Pole-sitter Helio Castroneves captured his third Indy 500 on
Monday to give team owner Roger Penske a record 15th trip to
Victory Lane.
The win capped a stunning return to the famed Brickyard by the
charismatic Brazilian, who was driving in just his third race since
being cleared of tax evasion charges which could have landed him a
lengthy prison sentence.
A back-to-back winner in 2001 and 2002, Castroneves became just
sixth driver to claim a hat-trick of 500 wins.
Retaking the lead on lap 142 from defending champion Scott Dixon,
Castroneves pulled away from the field for an unchallenged victory
and punched the air with his right fist as he shot across the
finish line.
Dixon led for much of the race but dropped to a sixth finish after
a slow pit-stop.
He was attempting to become just the sixth driver in
history to win the event.
Overcome by emotion, Castroneves climbed out of the car and broke
down in tears as the massive crowd of 300,000 stood and cheered,
initially unable to drink from the winner's traditional quart of
milk in Victory Lane.
"It's incredible, I think my tears speak for everything,"
Castroneves sobbed to reporters.
"I have to thank Roger...everybody because they gave me my life
back.
"You guys (race fans) don't understand, you guys kept me strong.
I'm honoured to have fans like you.
"What a day, this place is magical. Let's celebrate
Indy."
Joyous scenes
The joyous scenes were in sharp contrast to those just a few
months ago when the 34-year-old Brazilian was taken to court in
handcuffs and charged with six counts of tax evasion and one count
of conspiracy to defraud the US government.
Cleared of all charges, Castroneves returned to the circuit at the
Long Beach grand prix and was quickly back up to speed, dominating
the build-up to the 93rd Indy 500, claiming pole and posting the
fastest time in final practise.
The inspired Brazilian carried that momentum into Monday's race,
leading the first three laps before slipping back and bidding his
time and powering his Penske Dallara Honda back to the front to
stay with 58 laps to run.
"Toward the end we were just feeling the car," said Castroneves,
who will pocket over $2 million. "We were just taking it
easy.
"It was good, because behind I knew what I needed to do.
"But once I got in front, it was never looking back.
Briton Dan Wheldon, the 2005 Indy champion, battled hard but could
not keep pace with Castroneves, crossing 1.98 seconds behind the
Brazilian.
Danica Patrick came home third to record the best ever finish by a
woman in an Indy 500.
To view some of the best images from the Indy 500 CLICK HERE
