Indy 500 Bonanza for Hornish and Marco
Written by Allan Brewer · May 29, 2006
Winner Sam Hornish, Jr. and Rookie of the Year Marco Andretti got their just rewards at the Indy Victory Celebration Monday.
Sam Hornish Jr. earned $1,744,855 from a record purse of $10,518,565 for his stunning victory May 28 in the 90th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Hornish passed rookie Marco Andretti on the final lap as they approached the famous “Yard of Bricks,” crossing the finish line just .0635 of a second ahead of Andretti.
It was the second-closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history and Hornish’s first victory in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” in his seventh start.
Hornish’s winnings and the total purse were announced May 29 during the Indianapolis 500 Victory Celebration at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His win in the No. 6 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone gave team owner Roger Penske a record 14th victory.
This year’s event purse broke the record of $10,304,815 set in 2005. This is the fifth consecutive year the overall purse for the field of 33 drivers has exceeded $10 million. The event purse is comprised of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy Racing League and sponsor awards, and other designated awards. Buddy Rice earned the record driver’s payout of $1,761,740 in 2004.
Hornish, a 26-year-old native of Defiance, Ohio, and resident of nearby Napoleon, Ohio, led three times for 19 laps, becoming the 18th driver to win the race from the pole and the first driver in the race to take the lead on the final lap. Hornish closed on the No. 26 NYSE Group Dallara/Honda/Firestone car of Andretti exiting Turn 4 and dramatically passed him on the inside just before the finish line.
The race featured 14 lead changes among seven drivers. 2005 winner Dan Wheldon led the most laps with 148.
Andretti earned $698,505 for finishing an IRL IndyCar Series career-best second. The “500″ was only his fourth start in the top-level open-wheel racing series, and his result earned him the prestigious Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year Award and its $25,000 bonus. Andretti’s grandfather, Mario Andretti, won rookie of the year honors in 1965 after finishing third, and his father, Michael, shared the top rookie award with Roberto Guerrero after finishing fifth in 1984.
Michael Andretti followed his son across the line to finish third in the No. 1 Jim Beam/Vonage Dallara/Honda/Firestone and earned $480,105. Andretti nearly won the race, his 15th start at the “500,” when he led Laps 194-197 before his son passed him.
Hornish’s contributions to the sport on a personal level also were recognized at the Victory Celebration. He was awarded the Scott Brayton Driver’s Trophy, presented since 1997 to the driver who best exemplifies the character and racing spirit of the late Scott Brayton.
The 91st Indianapolis 500-Mile Race is scheduled for May 27, 2007.
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Results Sunday of the 90th Indianapolis 500 IRL IndyCar Series event May 28 at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed, reason out (if any) and money won:
1. (1) Sam Hornish Jr., Dallara-Honda, 200, $1,744,855
2. (9) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 200, $698,505
3. (13) Michael Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 200, $480,105
4. (3) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 200, $566,405
5. (5) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 200, $340,405
6. (4) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 200, $361,005
7. (17) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 200, $307,905
8. (10) Danica Patrick, Panoz-Honda, 200, $285,805
9. (8) Scott Sharp, Dallara-Honda, 200, $283,805
10. (6) Vitor Meira, Dallara-Honda, 200, $267,705
11. (12) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Honda, 199, $264,805
12. (25) Buddy Lazier, Dallara-Honda, 199, $274,805
13. (19) Eddie Cheever Jr., Dallara-Honda, 198, $235,805
14. (18) Max Papis, Dallara-Honda, 197, $249,305
15. (7) Kosuke Matsuura, Dallara-Honda, 196, $227,805
16. (28) Roger Yasukawa, Panoz-Honda, 194, $248,805
17. (24) Jaques Lazier, Panoz-Honda, 193, $239,305
18. (29) Airton Dare, Panoz-Honda, 193, $216,805
19. (32) PJ Jones, Panoz-Honda, 189, $234,305
20. (16) Bryan Herta, Dallara-Honda, 188, $234,805
21. (21) Felipe Giaffone, Dallara-Honda, 177, accident, $227,305
22. (15) Townsend Bell, Dallara-Honda, 161, suspension, $204,555
23. (26) Jeff Simmons, Panoz-Honda, 152, accident, $202,305
24. (27) Al Unser Jr., Dallara-Honda, 145, accident, $200,305
25. (2) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Honda, 109, accident, $280,355
26. (14) Buddy Rice, Panoz-Honda, 108, accident, $224,805
27. (11) Tomas Scheckter, Dallara-Honda, 65, accident, $195,305
28. (31) Arie Luyendyk Jr., Panoz-Honda, 54, handling, $196,055
29. (30) Stephan Gregoire, Panoz-Honda, 49, handling, $193,305
30. (23) Larry Foyt, Dallara-Honda, 43, handling, $192,305
31. (33) Thiago Medeiros, Panoz-Honda, 24, electrical, $202,555
32. (22) Jeff Bucknum, Dallara-Honda, 1, accident, $193,805
33. (20) P.J. Chesson, Dallara-Honda, 1, accident, $216,555
Race Statistics
Winner’s average speed: 157.085 mph
Time of race: 03:10:58.7590
Margin of victory: .0635 of a second
Cautions: 5 for 44 laps
Lead changes: 14 among 7 drivers
Lap leaders: Castroneves 1-9, Wheldon 10-34, Hornish 35-37, Kanaan 38, Wheldon 39-107, Dixon 108-110, Wheldon 111-124, Dixon 125-127, Wheldon 128-129, Hornish 130-144, Wheldon 145-182, Kanaan 183-193, Mi. Andretti 194-197, Ma. Andretti 198-199, Hornish 200.
Point standings: Castroneves 156, Hornish 144, Wheldon 139, Dixon 120, Kanaan 119, Matsuura 95, Herta 89, Franchitti 89, Ma. Andretti 88, Meira 84.
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MARCO HAS CONTINUED TWO
MORE ANDRETTI FAMILY
TRADITIONS. ROOKIE OF THE
YEAR, AND FINISHING SECOND TO A PENSKE CAR.
WELL DONE MARCO, AND
REMEMBER, THE LAST GUY TO
FINISH SECOND AS A ROOKIE
FINISHED FIRST THE NEXT YEAR.
Let’s hope young Marco does not continue another Andretti tradition; No one named Andretti has won the 500 since 1969. As long as The Captain is on the scene, AGR wil be in trouble at Indy. If TG were a marketing guy he would sign up Danica and Marco with Penske and have an All American dream team; Hornish, Danica and Marco. Bring Herta along and have a foursome. Danica would drive for free just to get out of that Panoz tub!!