Will Power Wins Indy 500, No. 17 For Car Owner Roger Penske
INDIANAPOLIS (CBS) -- Will Power won his first career Indianapolis 500 on Sunday after taking the lead from Stefan Wilson with less than five laps to go. Power started third on the front row and ran out front most of the race.
Ed Carpenter finished the race second, followed by 2008 winner Scott Dixon, 2016 winner Alexander Rossi and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves was among the favorites coming in, but crashed out late in the race.
Castroneves was looking to tie A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears with a record four career wins at the Brickyard.
Danica Patrick's professional driving career came to a close on Sunday after crashing out on Lap 67.
Patrick started the race seventh and ran inside the top 16 before getting loose and hitting the wall. The 36-year-old was able to climb out of the car under her own power before making a visit to the medical center.
2018 Indianapolis 500 results
- Will Power
- Ed Carpenter
- Scott Dixon
- Alexander Rossi
- Ryan Hunter-Reay
- Simon Pagenaud
- Carlos Munoz
- Josef Newgarden
- Robert Wickins
- Graham Rahal
- JR Hildebrand
- Marco Andretti
- Matheus Leist
- Gabby Chaves
- Stefan Wilson
- Jack Harvey
- Oriol Servia
- Charlie Kimball
- Zach Claman De Melo
- Spencer Pigot
- Conor Daly
- Max Chilton
- Zach Veach
- Jay Howard
- Tony Kanaan
- Sage Karam
- Helio Castroneves
- Sebastien Bourdais
- Kyle Kaiser
- Danica Patrick
- Ed Jones
- Takuma Sato
- James Davison
Race breakdown
Carpenter started from the pole and got out to a hot start, leading the first 30 laps before hitting the pits under green. Carpenter cycled back to the lead ahead of Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden after pitstops. James Davison brought out the first caution after spinning and colliding with defending race winner Takuma Sato.
After the restart, Patrick went spinning and hit the wall, putting an end to her professional driving career. Patrick also crashed out of the 2018 Daytona 500. She was able to get out of her car under her own power and make the trip to the medical center.
Carpenter lost the lead on the following restart to Kanaan who held it before green flag stops again around Lap 90. Power stayed out on a different pit strategy and took the lead as Carpenter worked his way back to the front. Shortly after the halfway point of the race, Kyle Kaiser went to the garage with a mechanical issue, ending his day.
Power came down pit road on Lap 130 from the lead, right after Carpenter came in for another stop. As drivers were implementing various pit strategies, Bourdais went spinning and hit the wall to bring an end to his day.
After a lengthy yellow, Power led the field back to green. Two laps later, Castroneves lost control and hit the wall hard. He climbed out of his car to roaring cheers from the crowd. In an interview with ESPN, Castroneves pleaded his case to team owner Roger Penske run another Indy 500 next year.
Next up, it was Karam wrecking with less than 50 to go. Before that however, 2016 winner Rossi climbed up to third place after starting from the rear.
Power got the jump from the lead on the restart as Rossi passed Carpenter for second. Carpenter reclaimed second from Rossi as Power began creating separation. Power pit from the lead with less than 30 to go, handing the lead back to Carpenter who followed down pit road a few laps later.
Oriol Servia was leading as the drivers that pit worked their way up through the field. Then, with 12 to go Kanaan spun out and saw his chances of an Indianapolis 500 checkered flag come to an end. More importantly, it set up a restart that would decide the race.
Servia stayed out but didn't get enough of a jump on the restart, forfeiting the lead to Stefan Wilson, who -- like Servia -- stayed out under green earlier. Wilson did not have enough fuel however, pitting with five to go and handing the lead to Power who drove on to win the race.