Franchitti Wins Indy 500; Andrettis Denied Again

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ It was a race with the weather. Which would come first, the rain or the end of the Indy 500. <br/><br/>Dario Franchitti gambled on the rain and won Sunday, another bittersweet day for

Sunday, May 27th 2007, 5:22 pm

By: News On 6

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ It was a race with the weather. Which would come first, the rain or the end of the Indy 500.

Dario Franchitti gambled on the rain and won Sunday, another bittersweet day for the Andretti family at America's richest race.

The Scotsman, one of five Andretti Green Racing drivers in the field,inherited the lead by staying on the track when the leaders pitted for fuel for a final dash to the finish and then drove slowly to the checkered flag in a downpour when the race was stopped 10 laps later after 415 of the scheduled 500 miles.

The race was interrupted by rain for three hours shortly after the midway point, and Franchitti won it under a caution light brought out when teammate Marco Andretti crashed three laps from the abbreviated end.

Franchitti's teammate and best friend, Tony Kanaan appeared in control when rain poured down the first time, just four laps after he took the lead with a pass on Andretti.

Andretti, who lost this race last year as a rookie when Sam Hornish Jr. passed him on the final straightaway, had slipped into the pack and was trying hard to move back into contention when he tried to make a pass in traffic and came together with 2005 Indy winner Dan Wheldon on the back straightaway.

Andretti's car veered hard into the outside wall, slid back across the track in traffic and flipped on its top after it hit the infield grass. It finally came to rest on its wheels and the 20-year-old Andretti was able to climb out uninjured.

``I'm one lucky guy,'' Marco said. ``I'm so proud of Dario Franchitti.''

Franchitti made a victorious lap of the 2.5-mile oval in the heavy rain as actress wife Ashley Judd, soaking wet in a summer dress, climbed the pit wall and dashed toward the victory celebration.

Once Franchitti got out of his car, he was mobbed, hugged and kissed by Kanaan, his best friend, and his other two teammates, Danica Patrick and Michael Andretti.

``It hasn't sunk in right now,'' Franchitti said. ``To be a member of this club is fantastic. I kind of have half of an idea of what it means to win this race. I'm so happy.''

Scott Dixon was second, followed by Helio Castroneves and Sam Hornish Jr. The rest of the top 10 were Ryan Briscoe, Scott Sharp, Tomas Scheckter, Patrick, Davey Hamilton and Vitor Meira.

It was Andretti Green's second victory in three years, but that's about all the good luck the Andrettis have had at Indy since Mario Andretti, Marco's grandfather and Michael's father, won in 1969.

Franchitti was fifth when the red flag came out on lap 113 and fell all the way to 14th after a pit stop following the restart.

``We cut a tire on debris and we had to make the pit stop,'' Franchitti said. ``I can't believe it. It's the Indy 500.''

After he came out of the pits, Franchitti had a very fast car. He began to move through traffic under the green flag, getting to seventh on lap 131, just before the leaders began making green flag pit stops.

Franchitti regained the lead on lap 137 when Kanaan and Patrick pitted and stayed out front until he pitted on lap 143. At that point, Kanaan got back out front and appeared heading for the victory he thought he had when the first rainstorm hit.

But after Marty Roth crashed on lap 151, bringing out another yellow flag _ and even knowing rain was moving closer _ Kanaan, Hornish and the other leaders chose to pit for fuel and tires.

``That's the Indianapolis 500,'' said Castroneves, a two-time Indy winner. ``You bet it all. Dario took a gamble. He'll be happy with the result and the paycheck.''

Any chance Kanaan had to win evaporated on lap 157 when Jaques Lazier crashed in front of him and Kanaan spun, barely avoiding the inside barrier near the pit entrance. He rolled into the pits with a flat tire and was later penalized when his crew changed all four tires in a closed pit, instead of just the one that was flat. He wound up 12th, just ahead of team co-owner Michael Andretti.

Patrick was the only one of the three women in the field to have an impact. Milka Duno ran no higher than 22nd before crashing after 65 laps and ending up 31st, and Sarah Fisher finished 18th, two laps behind.