While we understand that the Indy 500 isn’t anywhere near the peak of the popularity it experienced in decades past, we still make it a habit to tune in every year for as much of the race as humanly possible. We caught a big chunk of the middle of the contest on Sunday but we missed on of the most spectacular endings in the one hundred year history of the race (although it has only been run 95 times).
The man who ended up bathed in glory was Dan Weldon. Aside from the glory he also scored a $2.6-million pay day for his efforts and those of his teammates. Wheldon has quietly become one of the all time greats at Indy, having won the race twice (a feat only 17 other men have accomplished) and runner upped twice in the last three years. In nine tries he has finished in the top four six times. Say what you want about today’s race versus those in the past, but the numbers do not lie, Wheldon is one of the best to ever attack the speedway.
The rookie who will go down in infamy for one of the most public and costly chokes of all time is JR Hildebrand, who, ironically was driving the National Guard car that Wheldon made his living in just last season. Pretty wild! Hildebrand went way wide on the last corner of the race to get around slow lap traffic rather than lifting off the throttle and it cost him dearly. The car pushed wide and got into the marbles outside of the racing groove and once that happened, Hildebrand was along for a painful ride. The car slid broadside into the wall and then rode it all the way down the straight.
Wheldon made the pass milliseconds before the yellow flag flew, so he got the checker, and Hildebrand slid to the most brutal and unsatisifying second place finish in Indy 500 history.
If you ain’t first you’re last!
-Ricky Bobby-
Hence the term “rookie”. He learned a valuable lesson.