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Indy 500 Race Blog: Hélio Castroneves is a four-time Indianapolis 500 winner | 'This is absolutely incredible'

The 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 got underway with about 135,000 fans filling the stands.

SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Follow along throughout the race with our 13News team as we cover the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Around 135,000 fans are in the stands for what will be the largest sports event since the start of the pandemic. 

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4:39 p.m. – Celebration.

4:32 p.m. – Sportsmanship...plain and simple.

4:31 p.m. – Standing with fellow legends.

4:28 p.m. – A long time to wait, but it was definitely worth it.

4:23 p.m. – You've gotta kiss the bricks.

4:21 p.m. – Hélio Castroneves has started something.

4:16 p.m. – This is what Castroneves was shouting to fans thanks to great positioning by 13News Chief Photographer Matt Whisner.

4:12 p.m. – It certainly was.

4:09 p.m. – Enjoying the win.

4:02 p.m. – 13Sports Director Dave Calbro with Hélio Castroneves.

4:00 p.m. – This is how it looks to watch your guy win.

3:58 p.m. – Respect for the four-time winner from fellow drivers and past winners.

3:56 p.m. – Castroneves requested 2% by the way.

3:53 p.m. – Four-time winner.

3:56 p.m. – Really milking it.

3:43 p.m. – "I love Indianapolis. You don't understand, the fans they give me energy," Castroneves said. "This is absolutely incredible."

3:33 p.m. – How does Castroneves celebrate a win? By climbing the fence of course.

3:26 p.m. – Hélio Castroneves is a four-time Indianapolis 500 winner. His previous Indy 500 wins were in 2001, in 2002 and 2009.

Only three other drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 four times: A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. 

3:24 p.m. – Hélio Castroneves takes the lead with 2 laps to go.

3:23 p.m. – With 3 laps to go Palou is now leading.

3:22 p.m. – With 5 laps to go Hélio Castroneves takes the lead.

3:19 p.m. – With 10 laps to go the leaders are: Rosenqvist, Sato, Palou. Castroneves and O'Ward.

3:11 p.m. – Palou moves in front of Castroneves and they're running 5 and 6 as leading drivers start pitting.

3:09 p.m. – Castroneves took a pit stop on lap 172 followed by Palou stopping one lap later. Helio is in spot 10, followed by Palou as they wait for the field to cycle through the pits.

3:04 p.m. – 30 laps to go and Helio has taken the lead.

Simona de Silvestro spun out going into pit lane.

3:00 p.m. –The field has cycled through and Palou is sitting in the lead followed by Castroneves and O'Ward.

Graham Rahal just tweeted that is he is heartbroken but is pulling for teammate Takuma Sato.

Credit: AP Photo/Rob Baker
Graham Rahal hits the wall in Turn 2 after losing a tire during the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 30, 2021.

2:52 p.m. – Will Power goes backwards on pit row and will be working from way back. Power is saying he didn't have any brake pressure.

2:51 p.m. – Castroneves O'Ward pit. Sato takes over the lead.

2:49 p.m. – Leaders with 50 laps to go: Castroneves, O'Ward, Pagenaud, Sato and Montoya.

2:46 p.m. – The leaders are starting to hit the pits. Others are working on saving fuel and pushing to only make one more stop.

2:43 p.m. – Daly dives into the pits on lap 141.

2:38 p.m. – Palou takes the lead followed by Castroneves.

2:35 p.m. – Here's Graham Rahal on losing that rear tire and crashing out. "Today I thought we had them."

2:33 p.m. – The green is back out and O'Ward is leading with Castroneves, Palou, VeeKay and Newgarden following.

2:27 p.m. – Dixon is back on the lead lap after falling a lap down with pit issues earlier. Rossi is still a lap down.

2:21 p.m. – Graham Rahal crashes coming out of pit row. It appears his left rear tire was not locked on and came off the car as he prepared to come back out on track.

2:15 p.m. – Scott McLaughlin locks it up in the pits and gets a speed penalty.

2:14 p.m. – Pato O'Ward is leading the pack.

2:11 p.m. – Daly and VeeKay pit to fuel up as they look at only a couple more pit stops. Fuel economy becomes the key strategy of the day.

2:08 p.m. – At the halfway point of the Indianapolis 500 and the leaders are: Daly, VeeKay, O'Ward, Hunter-Reay and Herta.

1:57 p.m. – Current leaders are: Daly, VeeKay, O'Ward, Herta and Hunter-Reay. 

1:54 p.m. – A lot of shifts in the field as drivers hit the pits.

1:50 p.m. – At 75 laps into the 200 lap race, the top five are: Castroneves, Herta, Palou, O'Ward and Sato.

1:46 p.m. – It's great seeing the fans back in the stands.

1:42 p.m. – 60 laps in and the top five are: Daly, VeeKay, Castroneves, Herta and Palou.

1:37 p.m. – Daly is enjoying sitting out front. Here's how he did it:

1:33 p.m. – At 50 laps in and after a long yellow, the top five are: Daly, VeeKay, Herta, Castroneves and Palou.

1:30 p.m. – Kanaan is at the back and Chilton also got a penalty as the field goes back under green.

1:25 p.m. – Stefan Wilson checked out and OK and talking about what happened in the pits.

1:24 p.m. – Both Dixon and Rossi head back into the pits and top off the tanks under yellow.

1:15 p.m. – Scott Dixon had issues in the pits. The team opening the engine cover and finally getting it back started. He's lost a lap and will likely have to come back in for more fuel.

Alexander Rossi also had trouble restarting his car and is down a lap as well.

1:11 p.m. – Stefan Wilson lost it coming into the pits and crashed. His day is already over. We're under caution.

1:09 p.m. – Rinus VeeKay is first to pit.

1:08 p.m. – Leaders at 30 laps in: Rinus VeeKay, Colton Herta, Scott Dixon, Ed Carpenter and Helio Castroneves.

12:58 p.m. – At 17 laps in, here's the first five: VeeKay, Herta, Dixon, Carpenter and Castroneves takes the fifth spot from Kanaan.

12:49 p.m. – Rinus VeeKay is now leading the pack. He's followed by Herta, Dixon, Carpenter and Kanaan.

12:48 p.m. – Colton Herta takes the lead from Scott Dixon.

12:47 p.m. – There's the green!

12:44 p.m. – Will Power had no power at the start and is OK to rejoin his spot at the back of the field.

12:39 p.m. – Drivers start your engines!

12:37 p.m. – Back Home Again in Indiana.

12:32 p.m. – You couldn't pay us to watch anything else.

12:29 p.m. – Absolutely awesome.

12:27 p.m. – Multi-platinum recording artist Jimmie Allen performs the National Anthem.

12:25 p.m. – Goosebumps.

12:23 p.m. – Not only is David Letterman a local legend and team owner, he is also a great ambassador for the Indianapolis 500.

12:21 p.m. – The 38th Infantry Division Band of the Indiana Army National Guard played "Taps" ahead of the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500. 

12:19 p.m. – Couldn't agree more.

12:15 p.m. – Some race fans took the opportunity to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at the track ahead of the race.

Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
Veronica Pfister, R.N., administers a Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine to race fan Joshua Knight, of Noblesville, Ind., at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before the Indianapolis 500 auto race in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 30, 2021.

For more information on the vaccines or with planning your shot, click here.

12:10 p.m. – Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato got the standing ovation he deserved after winning in a quiet Indianapolis Motor Speedway with no fans August of 2020.

12:08 p.m. – Check out who is taking in the race today. WWE wrestler Titus O'Neil!

Credit: AP Photo/Darron Cummings
WWE wrestler Titus O'Neil takes a photo of the crowd before the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 30, 2021.

12:05 p.m. –  "This Is Us" Actor Milo Ventimiglia walking up to get ready to wave the green flag to start today's race.

12:02 p.m. – IndyCar driver Rinus VeeKay 's got the moves.

12:01 p.m. – Finally into the 60s.

12:00 p.m. – Check it out. The drivers are all ready and we are only about a half hour from the start of the race.

11:56 a.m. – A very emotional moment before the race, 10 years after Dan Wheldon's win at the Indy 500.

11:55 a.m. – Look at the starting grid ready to go. Let's race!

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