St. Petersburg Times
Online: Tech Times
 tampabay.com
Print storySubscribe to the Times

Motorsports

A recap of 450 miles: How the race was won

By Times Staff Writer
Published May 31, 2004

A look at how the Indianapolis 500 unfolded:

AT 100 MILES

After two rain delays - one at the start, one after 27 laps - totaling more than three hours, the race restarted with Dan Wheldon leading Buddy Rice. By Lap 34, Rice passed Wheldon for the lead. A.J. Foyt IV, who crashed on Lap 11, had his car repaired during the second delay, came back but dropped out again a few laps later. After 40 laps Rice led Wheldon by 0.8 seconds with Sam Hornish and Helio Castroneves close behind. Jaques Lazier, who replaced Charlotte-bound Robby Gordon after the second delay, was 27th.

TOP 10: Rice, Wheldon, Hornish, Castroneves, Bryan Herta, Tony Kanaan, Kosuke Matsuura, Tomas Scheckter, Vitor Meira, Dario Franchitti.

AT 200 MILES

The second driver out was Foyt's uncle, Indy rookie Larry Foyt, who crashed on Lap 56, bringing all the leaders in for pit stops. Rice, who trailed Hornish by more than a second, had a quicker stop and got out first. The yellow came out again on the first lap after the restart when rookies Ed Carpenter and Mark Taylor collided and hit the wall. Rice led by less than one second over Wheldon after 80 laps.

TOP 10: Rice, Wheldon, Hornish, Kanaan, Herta, Darren Manning, Franchitti, Castroneves, Matsuura, Scott Dixon.

AT 300 MILES

Kanaan led Wheldon by 0.67 seconds after 120 laps. Rookie PJ Jones hit the wall shortly before the halfway point. As the leaders again stopped for fuel, Rice's engine stalled on pit road during the stop, dropping him from first to eighth. Wheldon then took over the lead with Kanaan running second. Kanaan passed Wheldon, his Andretti-Green Racing teammate, just before a crash involving Hornish, Manning and Greg Ray on Lap 105. Castroneves was third, less than one second behind Kanaan. The top 19 cars were on the lead lap.

TOP 10: Kanaan, Wheldon, Castroneves, Herta, Fernandez, Rice, Dixon, Matsuura, Meira, Scheckter.

AT 400 MILES

A crash by rookie Marty Roth brought out a yellow, shuffling the leaders. After the green came out on Lap 138, Bruno Junqueira passed Kanaan and Wheldon for the lead, with Rice fourth. Castroneves, who had been third, missed his pit, then stalled and dropped to 17th. Junqueira built his lead over Kanaan to more than three seconds after 150 laps, and Rice passed Wheldon for third. Junqueira stopped for fuel on the next lap, however, and Rice took the lead again. After 160 laps Rice led Kanaan by 2.7 seconds.

TOP 10: Rice, Kanaan, Wheldon, Herta, Dixon, Fernandez, Meira, Roger Yasukawa, Matsuura, Castroneves.

AT 450 MILES

Rice took the lead after a flurry of late pit stops and stayed there until rain stopped the race at 450 miles. After Junqueira's last pit stop, Rice took the lead. A round of stops gave the lead to Herta, Fernandez, then Rice again. Rain brought out a yellow after 173 laps, and the race was stopped after 180.

FINAL TOP 10: Rice, Kanaan, Wheldon, Herta, Junqueira, Meira, Fernandez, Dixon, Castroneves, Yasukawa.

[Last modified May 30, 2004, 23:56:21]


Arena League

  • Playoffs beckon after win
  • This signing is a winner for Orlando

  • Baseball
  • AL: Boston uncommons step up
  • Blister will send Beckett to DL again
  • NL: San Fran-tastic: Giants win ninth in a row
  • White Sox GM to poll players about pitcher who left clubhouse

  • Colleges
  • LSU ousts FSU in World Series

  • Golf
  • A repeat triumph by Toms

  • In brief
  • Smarty 'doing great,' trainer says

  • Motorsports
  • Johnson dominates
  • Rain is Rice's buddy
  • F1 returns to normal: Schumacher wins No.76
  • Rain dooms double dip
  • A recap of 450 miles: How the race was won
  • New role, same old result for Andretti

  • NBA
  • Cassell out as Wolves try to stay alive in L.A.
  • Pistons Rip into Pacers in Game 5

  • Outdoors
  • Daily fishing report

  • Tennis
  • Serena wins over fans
  • Rays
  • Zambrano, Huff, just enough
  • Lou lectures on money, schedule
  • Up next: Twins
  • Lightning
  • Rise in heat needed to douse Flames
  • Even in 1829, the rules were the first to go
  • Flames in farm form
  • Got a minute, Cory Sarich?
  • Lineup is left in limbo
  • Slapshots
  •  


    Back to Top

    © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
    490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111