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may 31, 2016 - Honda Racing

Honda Takes Top Two in 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500

Circuit:Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5-mile oval) #indianapolis, IN
2015 Winner:Juan Pablo Montoya (Team Penske) 161.341 mph average
Weather:Mostly sunny, hot, 88 degrees F

 

Results:

Fn.St.DriverTeamManufacturerLapsNotes
1.11.Alexander Rossi-RAndretti-Herta AutosportHonda200166.634 mph average
2.5.Carlos MunozAndretti AutosportHonda200+4.4975 seconds
3.2.Josef NewgardenEd Carpenter RacingChevrolet200 
4.18.Tony KanaanChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet200 
5.16.Charlie KimballChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet200 
6.15.JR HildebrandEd Carpenter RacingChevrolet200 
7.1.James HinchcliffeSchmidt Peterson MtsptsHonda200Led 27 laps
8.13.Scott DixonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet200 
9.19.Sebastien BourdaisKVSH RacingChevrolet200 
10.6.Will PowerTeam PenskeChevrolet200 
11.9.Helio CastronevesTeam PenskeChevrolet200 
12.10.Oriol ServiaSchmidt Peterson MtsptsHonda200 
13.14.Marco AndrettiAndretti AutosportHonda200 
14.26.Graham RahalRahal Letterman LaniganHonda200 
15.22.Max Chilton-RChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet200 
16.31.Jack HawksworthA.J. Foyt RacingHonda200 
17.33.Alex TaglianiA.J. Foyt RacingHonda200 
18.25.Pippa MannDale Coyne RacingHonda199Running
19.8.Simon PagenaudTeam PenskeChevrolet199Running
20.21.Gabby ChavesDale Coyne RacingHonda199Running
21.4.Townsend BellAndretti AutosportHonda199Running
22.27.Matt Brabham-RKV #racing TechnologyChevrolet199Running
23.28.Bryan ClausonDale Coyne RacingHonda198Running
24.3.Ryan Hunter-ReayAndretti AutosportHonda198Running, Led 52 Laps
25.29.Spencer Pigot-RRahal Letterman LaniganHonda195Running
26.12.Takuma SatoA.J. Foyt RacingHonda163Did not finish – contact
27.7.Mikhail AleshinSchmidt Peterson MtsptsHonda126Did not finish – contact
31.30.Stefan Wilson-RKV #racing TechnologyChevrolet119Did not finish – mechanical
27.24.Conor DalyDale Coyne RacingHonda115Did not finish – crash
23.32.Buddy LazierLazier-Burns RacingChevrolet100Did not finish – mechanical
31.20.Ed CarpenterEd Carpenter RacingChevrolet98Did not finish – mechanical
32.23.Sage KaramDreyr & Reinbold RacingChevrolet93Did not finish – crash
33.17.Juan Pablo MontoyaTeam PenskeChevrolet63Did not finish – crash

R – Indy 500 R 

Rookie Rossi, #honda Win 100th #indianapolis 500

  • Alexander Rossi extends final fuel run for 36 laps to claim historic victory
  • Record-extending 11th Indy triumph for Honda
  • Carlos Munoz completes 1-2 finish for #honda, Andretti Autosport

Hondas have always been known for their exceptional fuel economy.  Sunday, Indy rookie #alexanderrossi stretched his final tank of fuel for 36 laps to the checkers – four more laps than any other competitor – to win the 100th running of the #indianapolis 500.  On a similar strategy, Carlos Munoz ran an impressive 32 laps after his final fill-up to make it a 1-2 finish for #honda and the Andretti Autosport team.

But Sunday's victory for Rossi and #honda wasn't just about saving fuel.  He also turned the fastest lap of the race, at an average of 225.288 mph, with his Andretti Autosport teammate Marco Andretti producing the second-fastest race lap, at 224.772 mph.

Today's victory was a record-extending 11th for #honda in 16 attempts at the "500", starting in 1994, the most of any major automobile manufacturer.  Rossi was one of seven #honda drivers to lead portions of today's race.  Pole qualifier James Hinchclife and outside front-row starter Ryan Hunter-Reay combined to lead all but two of the first 30 laps.  Other #honda leaders included Munoz, Townsend Bell, Bryan Clauson and Alex Tagliani.

A series of mid-race incidents led several teams – including those of Rossi, Munoz and Tagliani – to go "off-sequence" on their pit strategy.  That proved to be the correct call when Takuma Sato brushed the wall on Lap 163, bringing out the caution flag just inside the final pit window for both Rossi and Munoz.  Restarting in seventh and eight, respectively, the pair cycled up the order as the leaders made their final stops for a splash of fuel in the closing laps.  It was only on Lap 197 that Rossi assumed the lead, taking the checkers one lap later as the newest American winner of the #indianapolis 500.

Video recaps from this month's #hondaracing activities at #indianapolis, including today's #indianapolis 500, are being posted on the "Honda Racing/HPD" YouTube channel. Produced by the Carolinas Production Group, the video packages can be found in the 2015 HPD Trackside Video Playlist at:https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV. 

IndyCar Series teams and drivers now prepare for a hectic schedule of three races over the next two weeks, starting with next weekend's June 4-5 double-header weekend with races both Saturday and Sunday on the Belle Isle street circuit in Detroit, Michigan.

Alexander Rossi (98 Andretti Herta Autosport Honda) started 11th, finished 1st, first rookie 500 winner in 16 years, first IndyCar Series victory:  "I have no idea how we pulled that off!  We struggled a bit in the early pit stops, but then Bryan [Herta, team co-owner] came up with an unbelievable strategy.  Ryan [Hunter-Reay] was incredibly helpful, he gave me a tow at the end to produce an amazing 1-2 result.  It's phenomenal.  It will change my life, for sure.  I have to thank Michael Andretti and Bryan for giving me such a wonderful race car all month.  I'll cherish the fact that, at one point, we were last, but we rolled the dice and we came through and made it happen.  The [winner's] milk tasted better than anything I've ever had."

Carlos Munoz (26 Andretti Autosport Honda) started 5th, finished 2nd: "I knew I had the car to win in the first half of the race.  I was just holding my position, the engine was pulling so good.  But the last part of the race, I was pushing really hard. I was sliding everywhere the last two stints.  I was really disappointed to get second, just half a lap short.  But man, it was a close one.  I am happy for the team, 1-2 for Andretti, 1-2 for #honda.  One day, I will win this race."

Art St. Cyr (President, #honda Performance Development) on today's race and 11th #honda victory at the #indianapolis 500:  "That 100th running of the Indy 500 had a little bit of everything:  clean, long runs at the beginning, followed by unfortunate incidents in the pits mid-race, to finish up as a strategy and fuel economy nail-biter – all the things that make Indy car #racing exciting.  After dominating the first half of the race, it was gratifying to know that we had enough depth to cover both the fuel economy strategy, and the max power strategy.  It makes all the incredibly hard work performed by HPD over the past year worthwhile.  Congratulations to Alexander [Rossi] for an incredible performance in his '500' debut."

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