INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Dan Wheldon won the Indianapolis 500 when leader JR Hildebrand slammed the wall on the final turn Sunday.
Wheldon captured his second Indy 500 in his first race of the year, getting behind the wheel in a one-race deal for Bryan Herta Autosport.
But this one will be remembered for Hildebrand, a rookie from California, needing to make it through only one turn to win his Indy debut.
Instead, he got too high coming through the fourth turn and slammed the wall. Wheldon went past to take the checkered flag, while Hildebrand’s crumpled machine slid across in second place.