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Will Power wins 102nd Indy 500

Power, the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series champion, finished a career-best second in 2015 for his first podium finish at the iconic race.
Credit: Chris Graythen
Will Power of Australia, driver of the #12 Verizon Team Penske drives during Carb Day for the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 25, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Will Power, considered by many to be the best active IndyCar driver never to have won the Indianapolis 500, put that label to bed forever.

Power took the lead with only a handful of laps remaining to claim his first Indy 500 victory Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Power, the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series champion, finished a career-best second in 2015 for his first podium finish at the iconic race. Now, the Team Penske driver goes one better and will drink the traditional milk in victory lane.

Race leaders Stefan Wilson and Jack Harvey were forced to put with five laps remaining with their fuel running low, allowing Power to take the lead.

"I just can't believe it," an elated Power said after climbing out of his car. "I got to thank Roger Penske, Verizon, and my parents for allowing me to get to this point. I can't describe it. I feel like collapsing. I want to cry. I couldn't stop screaming.

"I always wondered if I was going to win it, and thoughts went through my mind, in my career. "I've had so many wins, and so many poles, but everybody always talked about the 500. I just couldn't imagine winning a race in front of a crowd like this. It's just amazing. What an event. I love it."

Pole winner and Indiana native Ed Carpenter finished second and four-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon came home third. Alexander Rossi, the 2016 winner, may have had the best race beyond Power. Rossi climbed from a starting position of 32nd to finish fourth.

Danica Patrick, completing the back end of the "Danica Double" which began with February's Daytona 500 — NASCAR's crown jewel — finished 30th in her final scheduled professional race after crashing on Lap 68. Patrick spun out driving through Turn 2 and hit the wall as her day ended in disappointment.

Patrick, who hadn't competed in the 500 since departing for NASCAR after the 2011 IndyCar season, had recorded six top-10 finishes in seven attempts at Indy prior to Sunday's race.

"I'm not sure really what happened," Patrick said to TV reporters after being checked and released from the infield medical center. "It just seemd to come around. I mean, today was really disappointing for what we were hoping for and what you want for your last race. I'm grateful for all of it. I wish I could have finished stronger.

"I've had a lot of good fortune here and still had some this month. It didn't come on race day, but we had some good moments."

Helio Castroneves, one of the best drivers to take the wheel in Indianapolis 500 history, saw another chance to tie the all-time record slip by when he crashed on Lap 147. The Team Penske driver spun off Turn 4 and hit the inside wall.

Castroneves, who had won three Indy 500s (2001, 2002, 2009) in 17 prior attempts, came home 27th after starting eighth. The Brazilian was attempting to tie the record of four wins set by A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears.

"Probably went wide in Turn 3 and probably was a little of dust in the tires and then as soon as I came to 3 and I tried to pass Simon (Pagenaud) but the rear just gave out," Castroneves said after he was released from the infield medical center. "I was not expecting; I never had a sign. The car was good. It was definitely tough out there."

Castroneves, who had moved over to Penske's sports car operation folliwing the end of the 2017 IndyCar season, was given a seat in the 500 by his longtime boss, Roger Penske, and he lobbied his team owner to bring him back to Indianapolis next year.

"Please, Roger, let me go back," Castroneves said.

In the closing stages of the race, fan favorite and 2013 champion Tony Kanaan spun out in Turn 2, bringing out a late caution with 12 laps remaining.

Sunday was also not a good day for last year's podium finishers, including 2017 winner Takuma Sato, who was taken out in a Lap 48 crash. Sato ran into the back of a struggling James Davison, who had been steadily losing speed. Ten laps later, Ed Jones, who finished third as a rookie last year, spun an hit the wall in Turn 2.

Also crashing out Sunday was Sebastien Bourdais, who missed last year's Indy 500 after he was injured in a horrible qualifying crash, and Sage Karam.

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