IndyCar hits 500 jackpot with final dash

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS

It’s rare in racing when everything aligns to create a breathtaking event, the kind that’s certain to be talked about through the years and recalled as one of the best.

IndyCar hit the jackpot with the Indianapolis 500: a record number of lead changes, a thrilling final dash for the trophy, a popular podium finish and 500 miles of racing under a blistering sun.

“What a tremendous race. We couldn’t have asked for anything better for our marquee event,” IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said Monday. “It had the right the mix of competition and entertainment as we showcased our sport on an international stage.

“Hopefully, people liked what they saw, learned what we already know and will come back for more this season.”

That’s the hard sell for the attention-starved series. Despite good racing, strong story lines and colorful characters, IndyCar can’t seem to grow its fan base. The overnight rating for Sunday’s race on ABC was a 4.1, smack in the middle of the 4.3 from last year and the 4.0 in 2010.

But there’s enough buzz now that IndyCar is optimistic its fans will tune in next Sunday when the series shifts to a street course for the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.

The race, the first open-wheel championship event in Detroit since 2008, will again be on ABC.

“I hope people watch the other races and see what we do week in and week out,” said Dario Franchitti, who picked up his third Indianapolis 500 victory on Sunday. “The crowds have been good, and obviously we need to keep working on the TV thing, keep pushing on that.

“But we’ve had some cracking races this year. I think they’ve all been pretty good.”

This Indy 500 swung the pendulum on an already strong start to the season. Franchitti and teammate Scott Dixon swapped the lead 10 times in the final 60 laps, and Tony Kanaan used a jaw-dropping surge through the field to jump from fifth to first on a late restart. The popular Brazilian led seven late laps in front of a crowd roaring its approval.

On Franchitti’s final pass of Dixon, he pulled Takuma Sato with him and the Japanese driver wedged himself between the Chip Ganassi teammates. It prevented Dixon from setting up his attempted pass for the win. The opportunity instead went to Sato, who went for it in dramatic fashion.

Sato hugged the bottom of the race track, pulled alongside Franchitti through the first turn, but failed to complete the pass either because their wheels touched or he simply bungled the move. He spun hard into the outside wall, barely avoiding wrecking Franchitti at the same time, and the Scotsman broke free for the win.