Franchitti Wins Indy 500, Er, 415; No Milk For Milka

In the denouement to yesterday's abbreviated Indy 500, it was a rain-drenched, barefoot Ashley Judd providing the glamor an eighth-place Danica Patrick, an ousted Milka Duno and a lurking Gene Simmons could not. Patrick lost a late-race game of pitstop musical chairs, nullifying an earlier reach to second place; Duno hit a wall, and Simmons could have used some makeup. Judd's husband Dario Franchitti took the checkered flag in the 91st running of Indy, taking advantage of a few late-race shakeups that nullified prior heroics by Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish Jr. and podium finishers Scott Dixon in second and Hélio Castroneves in third. Intermittent rain over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway delayed the race for nearly three hours after 113 laps, and officials called it for good when a downpour started after 166 laps. In the end, an early pit gave the advantage to Franchitti, who wound up on top with plenty of fuel when the early flag waved. Still, it was the damp Ms. Judd who stole the Indy spotlight, talking to ESPN about understeer, ballast and sweet spots, then heading off to the pits barefoot.

Dario Franchitti Re-Writes The Record Book in A Wet & Wild Indianapolis 500 [Auto Racing Daily]

Related:
Indy 500 Garage Wrap Up [internal]