newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

A late crash kept the dream from coming true for 23-year old rookie J.R. Hildebrand at the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500.

Hildebrand was in the lead by three seconds on the final lap when he crashed into the outside wall as he exited the final turn. After the crash Hildebrand did skid over the line – but not before Dan Wheldon flew by and won the Indianapolis 500, a race that had several leaders including Danica Patrick.

Wheldon went by Hildebrand, but officials had to review video of the final moments to determine when Wheldon actually got ahead of the rookie because the caution lights had come on around that time. If Wheldon had passed Hildebrand after the caution light came on, Hildebrand would have been the winner of the race.

ESPN reported that video replay showed that Wheldon passed Hildebrand with the green light on in front of him, and after a long delay, he was declared the official winner.

The Sporting News reports the Indy 500 was expected to be dominated by two-time defending champ Dario Franchitti and 2008 winner Scott Dixon.

But late in the race, Graham Rahal spent some time in the lead, Danica Patrick got in front but didn’t have the fuel to finish. Neither did Bertrand Baguette from Belgium. When Baguette went to the pits with three laps to go, Hildebrand took over. For a time.

Dixon was shuffled back to sixth by late cautions, and Franchitti dropped back to the 12th position while Patrick came in 10th.

Baguette landed in seventh, while pole-sitter Alex Tagliani fell all the way to 28th after an accident, marking the race's biggest fall from a starting position. The rookie Rahal made the greatest position gain in the race, moving up 26 spots to fourth, after starting 30th.

SB Nation has full Indianapolis 500 results here.

Sure Start Consumer News reported this the second time Wheldon has won the Indy 500, his first coming in 2005.