Hildebrand’s crash leads to Wheldon’s Indianapolis 500 victory

The centennial Indianapolis 500 reminded some fans of the Daytona 500 when Trevor Bayne claimed victory in his second career NASCAR start. One corner stood in the way of rookie JR Hildebrand accomplishing a similar feat. Though in his case, the track won in incomprehensibly tragic fashion.

Hildebrand had one lapped car to pass before he hit the front stretch for the final time to take the checkered flag, to earn the right to drink the milk. Instead, his car collided with the SAFER Barrier with jarring violence.

Why not ease off the gas and take the turn with caution, as Dan Wheldon was almost four seconds behind him?

“There were some cars that were coming with some heat towards the end of the race, [including] the 98 (Wheldon),” Hildebrand said. “I certainly was aware that I had some gap on them. As I was cycling through three and four, I ended up catching the 83 (Charlie Kimball). I quickly decided that the cars in second and third were coming pretty strong. Rather than downshifting a bunch and slowing the car down, I’ll go to the high side because it’s a move I had used earlier in the race to get around some slower cars in a fairly similar situation.

“I guess with the tires as worn as they were, the run being as long, there were a bunch of marbles on the outside. Once I got up there, there wasn’t a lot I could do.”

His car owner offered a thought about how this will affect his driver.

“He’ll rethink turn four for a long time,” car owner John Barnes said.

Events that transpired in turn four gave Panther Racing its third consecutive runners-up finish at Indianapolis.

Hildebrand took the lead at the halfway point, becoming the 200th different driver to have led at least one lap. A fact that will remain relegated to a minutia in the big picture, as an experienced driver offered some perspective regarding why this race is unique.

“In Indianapolis, it is win or bust,” Danica Patrick, no. 7 car driver, said.

It was his fuel strategy that gave him an opportunity to hoist the Borg Warner Trophy.

“If we could save fuel at the beginning of the stint, we could make it [the distance],” Hildebrand said.

The strategy proved successful, as he had the gas to finish. After he hit the wall, he limped across the finish line, an event of little consolation to a driver who just endured losing an Indianapolis 500.

When asked about his calm demeanor at the post-race press conference, Hildebrand said with a smile, “I’m pretending well, I guess.”