2009 Indianapolis 500 Race Results

Crashes, Standings, and Stats

Helio Castroneves claimed his third Indianapolis 500 championship May 24, 2009, finishing the race in 3 hours, 19 minutes, and 34.6427 seconds and banking record winnings of $3,048,005. Less than two seconds behind was 2005 Indy 500 victor Dan Wheldon, who collected $1,258,805. Danica Patrick came in third, having now finished in the top ten in four out of five Indy 500 races, and earning $763,305 for her third-place ranking this year. Townsend Bell placed fourth; Will Power finished fifth; and defending champion Scott Dixon came in sixth.

Speed and Lap Leaders

Dario Franchitti, the 2007 Indy 500 champion, posted the fastest lap in this year’s race, clocking 222.044 mph on lap 187, which he completed in 40.5325 seconds. The average speed during the running of the race was 150.318 mph.

Castroneves led 66 of the 200 laps, including the last 59. Dixon led 73 laps; Franchitti led 45; and Ryan Briscoe led 11.

Crashes and Collisions

Nine drivers crashed in this year’s race, with two sustaining injuries. Vitor Meira and Raphael Matos collided in turn 1 on lap 173, and both cars hit the Safer Barrier so hard that welders had to be called in to repair it. Meira got the worst of it as his car slid backwards before flipping on its side and careening flush against the wall for about a quarter of a mile, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake. Meira was taken by ambulance to Methodist Hospital, where he was in for a three-day stay due to breaking two bones in his back. Matos climbed out of his car unassisted, sustaining a bruised knee. He was treated in the infield hospital and released shortly after the collision.

The first wreck of the day was between Mario Moraes and Marco Andretti, and it happened in the very first lap of the race. The drivers blamed each other for the mishap, and both were out initially, though Andretti returned for a brief stint later in the race.

Ryan Hunter-Reay skidded into the pit lane after making contact with the fourth turn wall in lap 20. Graham Rahal and Davey Hamilton both hit the wall on the front straightaway between turns 3 and 4 on laps 56 and 83, respectively. Tony Kanaan hit the wall on the back stretch of lap 98 due to a driveshift failure. Robert Doornbos, Nelson Philippe, and Justin Wilson also encountered difficulties that resulted in contact with the wall.

The Stakes (in Hard, Cold Cash)

This year’s purse totaled $14,315,315 -- $91,265 less than last year’s record-high purse of $14,406,580. Townsend Bell was awarded $445,305 for finishing fourth, while everyone else – from fifth place through 33rd – took home between $270,305 at the low end (the winnings of Alex Lloyd, Scott Sharp, and Sarah Fisher, who placed 13th, 14th, and 17th, respectively) and $386,305 (the amount claimed by Franchitti).

Other Awards

It was a banner day for Castroneves, who not only won the race but was also the recipient of the PEAK Performance Pole Award and the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge. Sarah Fisher was awarded the Scott Brayton Driver’s Trophy for her exemplary spirit, and Alex Tagliani earned the Chase Rookie of the Year Award.

Respectable Rookies

Five rookies were in the running this year, and Tagliani made the best showing among them, finishing in 11th place after starting at the back of the field in 33rd. Mike Conway, Raphael Matos, Nelson Philippe, and Robert Doornbos finished 18th, 22nd, 25th, and 28th, respectively.

Legendary Winners

Castroneves needs one more victory to join the ranks of those who’ve won four Indy 500 races apiece: A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears, and Al Unser. Five drivers earned the distinction of being three-time winners prior to Helio: Louis Meyer, Mauri Rose, Johnny Rutherford, Wilbur Shaw, and Bobby Unser.