Surprise success
Takuma Sato earned redemption in the Indy 500 and in his career with his win Sunday,
As Takuma Sato continues to soak in his first triumph in North American open-wheel’s grandest race, USA TODAY Sports takes a look at what you might have missed. History and redemption: Tokyo-born Sato became the first wheelman from Japan to win the Indianapolis 500. He also found redemption, in this race and in his career. In 2012, Sato smacked the wall on the last lap, allowing Dario Franchitti to claim his third and final Indianapolis 500 victory. Sato had just one victory — in the Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2013 — before Sunday. He had driven for three teams since he moved from Formula One to the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2010, and there was talk he might not ever really find his groove. Well, he found it, at 40, in his first year and sixth race with Andretti Autosport.
Exceeding expectations: Everyone said he couldn’t win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, couldn’t adapt to the speed, the track (his first oval), the field that runs tire-to-tire at 220 mph. It turns out, yes, he can. Fernando Alonso was a victor at everything during his two-week stint here except drinking the milk. The twotime Formula One champion drove a silky smooth race and showed acumen in knowing when to go for an opening and when to back off, never pushing but letting the race come to him. By lap 37, he was leading and fans were on their feet, screaming in delight. In fact, he might have won if his Honda engine hadn’t expired 20 laps from the checkered flag. Honda still has a major problem: If you drive a Honda in IndyCar this season, you’re walking a tightrope. Their cars possess tremendous power, but there is a serious reliability issue. It has been brewing all season and hit home this month, with engine failures in the IndyCar Grand Prix and three in the Indy 500 — Alonso, Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Charlie Kimball. And that doesn’t count the failures in practices. Granted, Sato won in a Honda. But now the question is: Does Honda know what is causing the failures?
Team Penske’s disappoint
ment: Roger Penske’s IndyCar operation revolves around preparation for this race, which he has won a record 16 times. While Will Power won the IndyCar Grand Prix two weeks ago, things went downhill from there. Helio Castroneves had a chance to make history in winning his fourth Indy 500, but try as he might, he could not get around Sato after he was passed on lap 196. The other four drivers on Team Penske were an afterthought. Power and Josef Newgarden were done in after a five-car crash, two-time 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya was sixth and reigning IndyCar champion Simon Pagenaud 14th. You can be sure this group’s debrief will be immediate and work on next May already has begun.
100 vs. 101: Everyone knew it would be difficult for Indianapolis Motor Speedway to top its record crowd — about 350,000 — in last year’s centennial run. And yes, there were grassy infield areas that weren’t filled. But the 101st running had its unique story lines with Vice President Pence’s arrival, Alonso and another first-time winner. While the attendance might have fallen off a bit, the fans’ appetite wasn’t sated. And there’s no reason to believe next year will be any different.